The Decider: Justice Kennedy

Justice Anthony Kennedy, appointed to the U S Supreme Court by President Reagan in 1988, is still the decider in close liberal-conservative decisions of our high court. His was the swing vote in the Bush v Gore decision of 12-12-2000, that put Bush into office, and in the recent Herring decision. In the Herring case, handed down January 14, the Court by a 5-4 vote upheld a conviction, saying that evidence obtained after an llegal search or arrest based on simple police mistakes ,may be used to prosecute criminal defendants. Chief Justice Roberts wrote the majority opinion. He was joined by Scalia, Thomas and Alito,a generally regarded as the other conservatives, along with the swingman Kennedy.