Last updated on: 11/6/2013 | Author: ProCon.org

Stephen R. Reinhardt, LLB Biography

Title:
Judge for the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Position:
Con to the question "Should the Words “under God” Be in the US Pledge of Allegiance?"
Reasoning:

“Under the plain meaning of the words of the amendment to the Pledge, its context, the legislative history of its enactment, and all of the surrounding circumstances, there can be no doubt that the purpose of adding the words ‘under God’ to the Pledge of Allegiance was predominantly, if not exclusively, religious and that the daily recitation in public schools of the Pledge in its amended form violates the Lemon test, and thus the Establishment Clause.”

Newdow v. Rio Linda Union School District, dissenting opinion, uscourts.gov, Mar. 11, 2010
Theoretical Expertise Ranking:
    Experts
Individuals with JD's, or equivalent advanced degrees in fields relevant to government and constitutional law. Also top-level government officials (such as foreign leaders, US presidents, Founding Fathers, Supreme Court Justices, members of legislative bodies, cabinet members, military leaders, etc.) with positions relevant to government and constitutional law.
Involvement and Affiliations:
  • Judge, US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 1980-present
  • Secretary, Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 1984 Olympics
  • Attorney, Fogel, Julber, Reinhardt, Rothschild & Feldman, 1957-1980
  • Law Clerk, Luther W. Youngdahl, US District Court, District of Columbia, 1956-1957
  • Lieutenant, Office of General Counsel, Secretary of the Air Force, US Air Force, 1954-1956
  • Former President, Los Angeles Police Commission
  • Former member, Board of Directors, Los Angeles Amateur Athletic Foundation
Education:
  • LLB, Yale Law School, 1954
  • BA, Pomona College, 1951
Other:
  • Full name is Stephen Roy Reinhardt
  • Nominated to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit by President Jimmy Carter on Nov. 30, 1979 and approved by the US Senate on Sep. 11, 1980
  • Married to Ramona Ripston, former Executive Director of ACLU of Southern California
  • Born in New York, NY in 1931
Quoted in:
  1. Does the Phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance Violate the First Amendment's Establishment Clause?