Who Is Warren Burger

Warren Burger’s background tells of a life of humble beginnings. He was one of seven children, played sports in high school and joined the Union Army. Unlike some other Chief Justices before him, Warren Burger did not come from a wealthy background. He worked selling Mutual Life Insurance while he attended night school at the University of Minnesota. After college he enrolled in law school and took a job at a firm now known as Moore, Costello & Hart.

Warren Burger was Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1969-1986. Since this was a time where conservatives were the majority of the population, many expected that the Supreme Court under the ruling of Warren Burger would overturn the liberal rulings of Chief Officers before him. However, a year into his term as Chief justice it was obvious that the Burger Court had no intentions of doing so. In fact, many of the liberalists’ beliefs were extended.

One of the major rulings under the Burger Court was the Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education ruling in 1971. This was one of the most important cases to target methods of desegregation in public schools. In an earlier ruling by the Warren Court, it was declared that school segregation was unconstitutional. School buses were integrated in order to promote racial desegregation in schools.

Another major ruling by the Burger Court was the unanimous ruling against the Nixon administration's desire to deprive the need of a search warrant and the requirements of the Fourth Amendment regarding cases of domestic surveillance. The Nixon administration wanted the free will to search and seize anything they felt was warranted. This was a huge case involving the Watergate Scandal. In this case of the United States v. U.S District Court, the Burger Court system ruled against the Nixon administration.

Many other cases ruled under the Burger administration were considered landmark cases. In the Furman v. Georgia case regarding the death penalty, the Court ruled that the implication of the death penalty under the conditions of the case served as cruel and unusual punishment violating the Constitution. The Court’s decision forced states to rethink the nature of the death penalty, not allowing it to be used in a discriminatory manner. Warren Burger kept his conservative thoughts towards the matter of gay rights, opposing approval.

Chief Justice Warren Burger also regulated the business practices of the Government, emphasizing the practices of checks and balances between the branches of the Government. Many people argue that Burger was a Chief Justice who did not deliver verdicts under his own accord, usually changing his opinion to fit the casted votes of the majority. Some cases were held up in deliberation for twenty months because of Burger’s procrastination. However, under his ruling many laws were passed to further equality.

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