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INFLUENCE RELATIONSHIPS: JUSTICE O'CONNOR AND THE SUPREME COURT
Author(s) -
Clouatre Douglas
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
southeastern political review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1747-1346
pISSN - 0730-2177
DOI - 10.1111/j.1747-1346.1996.tb00102.x
Subject(s) - supreme court , law , political science , ideology , roberts court , concurring opinion , majority opinion , sociology , court of equity , original jurisdiction , politics
Sandra Day O'Connor's recent disagreements with conservatives on the Supreme Court, most notably in the areas of abortion, free speech and religious freedom, have led scholars to reassess her ideological position on the Court. O'Connor's dissents and concurrences have split the Court's conservative majority and led Court watchers to redefine her as a “moderate.” Using O'Connor's influence relationships, this paper argues that she has not moderated her ideology but instead is a restraintist conservative who is unwilling to support conservative judicial activism. The paper concludes that O'Connor remains committed to judicial restraint and is influenced neither by the Court's conservatives nor liberals.