Retirement Looms for Justice Anthony Kennedy

At age 80, Justice Kennedy certainly would be well within his right to retire from the SCOTUS. Rumors flew again this week when Kennedy's annual law clerk reunion was advanced to early June, fueling speculation that he will not be on the bench for the October term.

For his part, Justice Kennedy is not saying anything about retirement, leaving it to speculation as to when, if ever, he may retire.

Justice Kennedy's retirement would provide President Trump another opportunity to bolster the conservative block on the court. And when Kennedy retires, could Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg be far behind. President Trump could possibly fill three seats on the court in his first year in office.

While all this is going on, many court observers have noted Chief Justice John Roberts' slow and quieet slide to the center. A George Bush appointee, Justice Roberts has disappointed some conservatives by becoming the new "median vote"; a role long-held by Justice Kennedy.

If Trump appointees make-up a third of the High Court, many legal scholars expect a renewed legal battle over women's right to abortion. With 5 solid conservative justices on the High Court, the seminal case of Roe v Wade could be in jeopardy.

Stay tuned; we will continue to track the rumors and innuendo emanating from the SCOTUS this summer.

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