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William Rehnquist Timeline
Associated Press
Key dates in William H. Rehnquist's tenure on the U.S. Supreme Court:
| 1972 |
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Took seat on Supreme Court after nomination by President Nixon. Confirmed by Senate, 68-26.
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| 1973 |
One of two dissenters in Roe v. Wade, which overturned individual states' laws against abortion and recognized the practice as a constitutional right.
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| 1981 |
Hospitalized for a week for withdrawal from a prescription drug he was taking for back pain. |
| 1986 |
Sworn in as chief justice after President Reagan named him to replace retiring Warren Burger; confirmed by Senate in 65-33 vote. |
| 1988 |
Wrote majority opinion upholding Independent Counsel Act, which was passed in post-Watergate era to help prevent abuses in the executive branch. |
| 1995 |
Wrote majority opinion striking down a federal law mandating a "gun-free zone" around public schools, in a landmark decision preserving states' rights. |
| 1999 |
Presided over President Clinton's impeachment trial in the Senate that eventually acquitted him. Rehnquist's court had ruled in May 1997 that Paula Jones could sue Clinton for sexual harassment. |
| 2000 |
Joined four other Republican-nominated justices in Bush v. Gore ruling that stopped presidential ballot recounts in Florida, making Republican George W. Bush the winner. |
| 2002 |
Wrote majority opinion declaring that an Ohio taxpayer-funded voucher program was not a violation of the separation of church and state; 96 percent of the students using vouchers in that case attended religious schools. |
| 2004 |
Turned 80 to become the second-oldest chief justice. Only Roger Taney, who presided in the mid-1800s until his death at 87, served longer. Later disclosed he had thyroid cancer, prompting speculation about an imminent retirement one week before the presidential election. |
| 2005 |
Emerged from months of seclusion to swear in President Bush. And defying expectations, returned to the bench after a five-month absence. |
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