Pulitzer winner speaks at Moritz

A dichotomy exists in the highest court in the United States, one which has been influential in a number of court decisions, said Pulitzer Prize-winner Linda Greenhouse.

Last night, the Michael E. Moritz College of Law hosted Greenhouse as part of the annual Frank R. Strong Law Forum series.

Greenhouse, the New York Times U.S. Supreme Court correspondent, spoke to a crowd of judges, lawyers and a few Ohio State law students about the dichotomy present in the Supreme Court. The title of the lecture was “Between Certainty and Doubt: States of Mind on the Supreme Court Today.”

During the course of the lecture, Greenhouse outlined Supreme Court decisions in recent memory, highlighting the “maximalist” nature of Justice Antonin Scalia in his close interpretation of laws versus the “minimalist” disposition of Justice Stephen G. Breyer. She said close attention to this ongoing debate provides a useful way of understanding the status of the Supreme Court.

“The concern is over what stance the justices should take in the court’s work — should they write very broadly and resolve all kinds of issues, or should they have a certain judicial modesty and write very incremental kinds of decisions?” Greenhouse said.

Nancy H. Rogers, dean of the Moritz College of Law, introduced Greenhouse to the crowd of about 50. She said she was happy to have Greenhouse as the lecturer for this year’s forum.

“It was a very wonderful treat for us to have her come here,” said Rogers. “She is honored by many universities for her cheerful and thoughtful reporting.”

First-year law student David Reynolds said the way lecture was presented was very practical.

“Her use of the labels ‘maximalist’ and ‘minimalist’ were useful and interesting tools in helping to get a sense of how they’re differentiated and how they are also similar to how Scalia and Breyer are both different themselves,” Reynolds said.

The Strong Law Forum lecture series is made possible through a gift from Isador and Ida Topper. It is named after Frank R. Strong, dean of the College of Law from 1952 – 1965.