WASHINGTON — At Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.’s confirmation hearings 14 years ago, the first dozen questions were about whether he would respect the Supreme Court’s abortion precedents. In a surprise move, the chief justice joined the Supreme Court’s liberal wing in a 5-to-4 decision blocking a Louisiana law that could have severely restricted abortion in the state. And when that happens, it is hardly certain that Chief Justice Roberts will vote to strike down the Louisiana law. Chief Justice Roberts is a product of the conservative legal movement, and his general approach is to lean right. But he is also an institutionalist and a guardian of his court’s legitimacy, meaning he wants to make modest and deliberate moves.

Source: New York Times February 08, 2019 23:15 UTC