The Roberts Court: The Struggle for the Constitution (52 page)

(9) Associate Justice Elena Kagan listened to senators’ questions during her 2010 confirmation hearing on her nomination.

(10) Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor left the Court in 2006 to care for her ailing husband. Justice Samuel Alito Jr. took her seat on the bench.

(11) Associate Justice David Souter retired in 2009 and was succeeded by Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

(12) Senior Associate Justice John Paul Stevens stepped down from the Court in 2010. Justice Elena Kagan assumed his seat.

(13) Kathleen Brose, head of Parents Involved in Community Schools, led the organization’s legal fight against the Seattle School District. Harry Korrell, center, handled the lawsuit and argued in the Supreme Court; Brian Hodges, right, of the Pacific Legal Foundation assisted.

(14) Students at Ballard High, considered the preferred public high school by many parents, funnel into a hallway between classes.

(15) Sharon Browne of the Pacific Legal Foundation aided the Seattle and Louisville parents challenging their districts’ use of race to assign students.

(16) Clark Neily of the libertarian Institute for Justice and a colleague decided over drinks one evening that the time was right for a Second Amendment challenge.

(17) Robert Levy, a self-made millionaire and libertarian, agreed to finance the Second Amendment challenge to the District of Columbia’s gun ban.

(18) Richard Heller, a private security guard, became the lead plaintiff in the challenge to the gun ban.

(19) Alan Gura was brought on board by Clark Neily and Robert Levy to lead the lawsuit against the District of Columbia and to argue in the Supreme Court that the Second Amendment guaranteed an individual right to possess a gun.

(20) Alan Morrison developed the District of Columbia’s defense of its gun ban in the Supreme Court until D.C. Attorney General Peter Nickles replaced him with Walter Dellinger.

(21) After Supreme Court arguments in the gun case, D.C. Attorney General Peter Nickles (l), Walter Dellinger (c) and D.C. mayor Anthony Fenty (r) walked down the Court steps to meet the press.