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U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia Visits USD School of Law

SAN DIEGO (September 2, 2009) — University of San Diego School of Law hosted a public lecture and panel discussion for U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia where he presented, “Originalist Approaches in Recent Supreme Court Decisions.”  More than 600 faculty, students, alumni and members of the general public filled Shiley Theatre on the USD campus to hear Justice Scalia speak and then participate in a discussion with a panel of scholars from the school's Center for the Study of Constitutional Originalism. 

After a brief lecture of the originalist theory of interpretation—the view that the U.S. Constitution has a fixed and knowable meaning established at the time of its enactment—Justice Scalia fielded panelists' questions about three cases:  District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), Boumediene v. Bush (2008), and Crawford v. Washington (2004).  Justice Scalia explained how in these cases, he applied the originalist understanding to the Second Amendment, the right to habeas corpus and the Sixth Amendment to come to a decision.

The public lecture was the capstone to Justice Scalia’s two-day visit to USD School of Law.  On September 1, students were given exclusive opportunities to interact with Justice Scalia.  He began the day by team-teaching two, second- and third-year classes—Constitutional Law with Professor Mike Ramsey and the Moot Court Honors Competition class with Professor Michael Devitt.  Later that day, first-year students were given the opportunity to participate in a question and answer session with the Justice. 

Justice Scalia was appointed to the Supreme Court by Ronald Reagan in 1986.  Until the appointment of Justice Clarence Thomas, he was the only originalist on the bench.  Justice Scalia has visited the University of San Diego several times in the past and greatly contributes to the school’s tradition of providing its students with a diverse and enriched education.

Center for the Study of Constitutional Originalism
The Center for the Study of Constitutional Originalism at USD studies a family of theories which share the starting point that a Constitution (or statute) has a fixed and knowable meaning that is established at the time of passage or ratification. The center is devoted to education of the legal academy, the bar and bench, law students, and the public regarding the meaning of various constitutional provisions and the methodologies appropriate for ascertaining that meaning. To this end, the center develops and hosts academic conferences, public lectures and debates, and educational roundtables both on campus and in the local community. The members of the center serve as resources on questions of original meaning for law students, faculty colleagues and members of the legal community.

USD School of Law
The University of San Diego School of Law is a center of academic excellence focused on preparing its students for legal practice in the new century.  One of the most selective law schools in the country, the School of Law’s nationally recognized faculty create a demanding, yet welcoming environment that emphasizes individualized education.  USD law school graduates consistently score higher than the state average on the California Bar Exam and go on to practice law throughout the country and abroad, forming an influential network of alumni.  The USD School of Law is one of only 81 law schools in the country to have a chapter of The Order of the Coif, the most distinguished rank of American law schools. The school is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools.  Founded in 1954, the law school is part of the University of San Diego, a private, nonprofit, independent, Roman Catholic university chartered in 1949.