Today in Supreme Court History: January 23, 1915

1/23/1915: Justice Potter Stewart born.

Justice Potter Stewart

 

Comments

[Dan Schiavetta]

Waited until a Republican President was in office before he retired. As a result, for 25 years only Republicans got a chance to put people on the Court.

[Rev. Arthur L. Kirkland]

Potter Stewart complied with the rules and used his power.

Republicans had their shot. They delayed some elements of progress for a substantial period. It appears to be Democrats' turn to use power

(That clip features some unusual Congressional testimony, which I had heard years earlier at the Silver Dollar in Austin.)

[Cal Cetín]

That's Potter Stewart all right, I know him when I see him.

[Dan Schiavetta]

Ha!

[F.D. Wolf]

The judge who gave us "reasonable expectation of privacy", but forever remembered for, "I know it when I see it."

[Dan Schiavetta]

His colleague Hugo Black refused to look at those “dirty movies”.

On the other hand Thurgood Marshall got a kick out of them. Low budget as they were, actual talent was involved and there were some funny scenes.

For example: in “Deep Throat”, the old guy paying for the blow job with his Medicare card and a breaking-the-fourth-wall smile.

Or the guy at the orgy looking up and discovering that the p—sy he was licking belonged to his ex wife. “What’s a nice joint like you doing in a girl like this?”