The Notorious R.B.G.
- Lynn Chefren
- Aug 13, 2020
- 2 min read
This week marks 27 years since Ruth Bader Ginsburg was sworn in as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States of America. Justice Ginsburg’s impact on American jurisprudence cannot be overstated.
RBG is tireless crusader for women, she has been a deciding vote on the court for many historic cases. I had little understanding of how important the individual SCOTUS Justices were before I began law school. Honestly, my understanding of SCOTUS was shamefully limited. As I began reading cases, understanding the impact of the decisions on the lives of everyday Americans, I also realized how crucial each Justice’s background and view of the Constitution really was.
Justice Ginsburg believes in a living Constitution, a form of jurisprudence that believes the United States Constitution is a document that adapts to the times, taking on different meanings depending on when it is interpreted. This is opposed to originalism or textualism, both of which hold generally that constitutional interpretation must give greater weight to the text of the Constitution and what the common meaning of the language was at the time of its adoption.
While my personal thoughts on Constitutional interpretation run a bit more towards a blend of textualism and a living Constitution. There is no denying Justice Ginsburg’s consistency in her opinions, and her on going support for equality.
One of my favorite RBG quotes is, “My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent.” I am glad I was brought up the same way as RBG. As a female attorney, running her own practice being raised an independent woman who was taught to care for herself has enabled me to build my own life and career. Without women like RBG standing up for all women it is unlikely many of us would be able to live the lives we wish and choose.
If you are interested in learning more about the “Notorious R.B.G.” a wealth of information can be found from a Google Search. Or read more about her at the following links:
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