{"ID":54761,"name":"Cunningham v. Hamilton County","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/cases\/1998\/98-727","view_count":0,"docket_number":"98-727","additional_docket_numbers":null,"manner_of_jurisdiction":"Writ of \u003Ci\u003Ecertiorari\u003C\/i\u003E","first_party":"Cunningham","second_party":"Hamilton County","timeline":[{"event":"Argued","dates":[924498000],"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/case_timeline\/case_timeline\/38281"},{"event":"Decided","dates":[929336400],"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/case_timeline\/case_timeline\/38282"}],"lower_court":{"ID":11,"name":"United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/taxonomy\/term\/11"},"facts_of_the_case":"\u003Cp\u003ETeresa L. Cunningham, an attorney representing a plaintiff, was served with a request for interrogatories and documents with responses due within 30 days after service. Cunningham failed to comply with those discovery orders, and a Magistrate Judge granted Hamilton County\u0027s motion for sanctions against her under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37(a)(4). The District Court affirmed the Magistrate Judge\u0027s order for sanctions. The court also disqualified Cunningham as counsel. Although the District Court proceedings were ongoing, Cunningham immediately appealed the order affirming the sanctions award. The Court of Appeals dismissed the case for lack of jurisdiction because federal appellate court jurisdiction is ordinarily limited to appeals from \u0022final decisions of the district courts.\u0022 The court also held that the sanctions order was not immediately appealable under the collateral order doctrine, which provides that certain orders may be appealed, notwithstanding the absence of final judgment, because Cunningham\u0027s appeal was not completely separate from the merits of the case.\u003C\/p\u003E\n","question":"\u003Cp\u003EIs an order imposing sanctions on an attorney, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37(a)(4), a final decision and, thus, immediately appealable?\u003C\/p\u003E\n","conclusion":"\u003Cp\u003ENo. In a unanimous opinion delivered by Justice Clarence Thomas, the Court held that an order imposing sanctions on an attorney pursuant to Rule 37(a)(4) is not a \u0022final decision,\u0022 even where the attorney no longer represents a party in the case. \u0022To permit an immediate appeal from such a sanctions order would undermine the very purposes of Rule 37(a), which was designed to protect courts and opposing parties from delaying or harassing tactics during the discovery process,\u0022 Justice Thomas wrote for the Court. The Court concluded that piecemeal appeals and concomitant delays would preclude final judgement if such immediate appeals were possible. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote a concurring opinion.\u003C\/p\u003E\n","advocates":[{"advocate":{"ID":42731,"name":"Thomas C. Goldstein","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/thomas_c_goldstein","view_count":0,"last_name":"Goldstein","roles":null,"thumbnail":null,"length_of_service":0,"identifier":"thomas_c_goldstein"},"advocate_description":"Argued the cause for the petitioner","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/case_advocate\/case_advocate\/17415"},{"advocate":{"ID":28771,"name":"John J. Arnold","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/john_j_arnold","view_count":0,"last_name":"Arnold","roles":null,"thumbnail":null,"length_of_service":0,"identifier":"john_j_arnold"},"advocate_description":"Cincinnati, Ohio, argued the cause for the respondent","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/case_advocate\/case_advocate\/17416"}],"oral_argument_audio":[{"id":20576,"title":"Oral Argument - April 19, 1999","public_note":null,"unavailable":null,"display_title":null,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/case_media\/oral_argument_audio\/20576"}],"citation":{"volume":"527","page":"198","year":"1999","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/case_citation\/case_citation\/18690"},"decisions":[{"description":null,"votes":[{"member":{"ID":15141,"name":"William H. Rehnquist","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/william_h_rehnquist","view_count":0,"last_name":"Rehnquist","roles":[{"id":2787,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":63612000,"date_end":528094800,"appointing_president":"Richard Nixon","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2787"},{"id":2788,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":528094800,"date_end":1125723600,"appointing_president":"Ronald Reagan","role_title":"Chief Justice of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2788"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32786,"mime":"image\/png","size":46923,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/william_h_rehnquist\/william_h_rehnquist.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":12293,"identifier":"william_h_rehnquist"},"vote":"majority","opinion_type":"none","joining":null,"seniority":1,"ideology":1.856,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/decision_vote\/decision_vote\/173783"},{"member":{"ID":15060,"name":"John Paul Stevens","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/john_paul_stevens","view_count":0,"last_name":"Stevens","roles":[{"id":2704,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":188200800,"date_end":1277787600,"appointing_president":"Gerald Ford","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2704"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32732,"mime":"image\/png","size":62101,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/john_paul_stevens\/john_paul_stevens.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":12611,"identifier":"john_paul_stevens"},"vote":"majority","opinion_type":"none","joining":null,"seniority":2,"ideology":-3.333,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/decision_vote\/decision_vote\/173784"},{"member":{"ID":15092,"name":"Sandra Day O\u0027Connor","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/sandra_day_oconnor","view_count":0,"last_name":"O\u0027Connor","roles":[{"id":2736,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":370242000,"date_end":1138687200,"appointing_president":"Ronald Reagan","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2736"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32763,"mime":"image\/png","size":49563,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/sandra_day_oconnor\/sandra_day_oconnor.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":8894,"identifier":"sandra_day_oconnor"},"vote":"majority","opinion_type":"none","joining":null,"seniority":3,"ideology":0.966,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/decision_vote\/decision_vote\/173785"},{"member":{"ID":15049,"name":"Antonin Scalia","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/antonin_scalia","view_count":0,"last_name":"Scalia","roles":[{"id":2693,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":528094800,"date_end":1455343200,"appointing_president":"Ronald Reagan","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2693"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32678,"mime":"image\/png","size":58944,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/antonin_scalia\/antonin_scalia.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":10732,"identifier":"antonin_scalia"},"vote":"majority","opinion_type":"none","joining":null,"seniority":4,"ideology":3.404,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/decision_vote\/decision_vote\/173786"},{"member":{"ID":15113,"name":"Anthony M. Kennedy","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/anthony_m_kennedy","view_count":0,"last_name":"Kennedy","roles":[{"id":2757,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":572162400,"date_end":1533013200,"appointing_president":"Ronald Reagan","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2757"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32679,"mime":"image\/png","size":47100,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/anthony_m_kennedy\/anthony_m_kennedy.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":11121,"identifier":"anthony_m_kennedy"},"vote":"majority","opinion_type":"concurrence","joining":null,"seniority":5,"ideology":0.919,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/decision_vote\/decision_vote\/173787"},{"member":{"ID":15042,"name":"David H. Souter","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/david_h_souter","view_count":0,"last_name":"Souter","roles":[{"id":2686,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":655362000,"date_end":1246251600,"appointing_president":"George H. W. Bush","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2686"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32703,"mime":"image\/png","size":42141,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/david_h_souter\/david_h_souter.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":6839,"identifier":"david_h_souter"},"vote":"majority","opinion_type":"none","joining":null,"seniority":6,"ideology":-0.587,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/decision_vote\/decision_vote\/173788"},{"member":{"ID":15100,"name":"Clarence Thomas","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/clarence_thomas","view_count":0,"last_name":"Thomas","roles":[{"id":2744,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":688194000,"date_end":0,"appointing_president":"George H. W. Bush","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2744"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32680,"mime":"image\/png","size":49064,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/clarence_thomas\/clarence_thomas.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":12518,"identifier":"clarence_thomas"},"vote":"majority","opinion_type":"majority","joining":null,"seniority":7,"ideology":3.784,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/decision_vote\/decision_vote\/173789"},{"member":{"ID":15084,"name":"Ruth Bader Ginsburg","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/ruth_bader_ginsburg","view_count":0,"last_name":"Ginsburg","roles":[{"id":2728,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":744958800,"date_end":1600405200,"appointing_president":"Bill Clinton","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2728"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32681,"mime":"image\/png","size":45030,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/ruth_bader_ginsburg\/ruth_bader_ginsburg.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":9901,"identifier":"ruth_bader_ginsburg"},"vote":"majority","opinion_type":"none","joining":null,"seniority":8,"ideology":-0.929,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/decision_vote\/decision_vote\/173790"},{"member":{"ID":15139,"name":"Stephen G. Breyer","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/stephen_g_breyer","view_count":0,"last_name":"Breyer","roles":[{"id":2785,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":775890000,"date_end":1656565200,"appointing_president":"Bill Clinton","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2785"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32682,"mime":"image\/png","size":49908,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/stephen_g_breyer\/stephen_g_breyer.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":10193,"identifier":"stephen_g_breyer"},"vote":"majority","opinion_type":"none","joining":null,"seniority":9,"ideology":-0.75,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/decision_vote\/decision_vote\/173791"}],"majority_vote":9,"minority_vote":0,"winning_party":null,"decision_type":"majority opinion","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/case_decision\/case_decision\/12834"}],"first_party_label":"Petitioner","second_party_label":"Respondent","heard_by":[{"ID":15238,"name":"Rehnquist Court (1994-2005)","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/courts\/rehnquist10","view_count":0,"members":[{"ID":15141,"name":"William H. Rehnquist","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/william_h_rehnquist","view_count":0,"last_name":"Rehnquist","roles":[{"id":2787,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":63612000,"date_end":528094800,"appointing_president":"Richard Nixon","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2787"},{"id":2788,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":528094800,"date_end":1125723600,"appointing_president":"Ronald Reagan","role_title":"Chief Justice of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2788"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32786,"mime":"image\/png","size":46923,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/william_h_rehnquist\/william_h_rehnquist.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":12293,"identifier":"william_h_rehnquist"},{"ID":15060,"name":"John Paul Stevens","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/john_paul_stevens","view_count":0,"last_name":"Stevens","roles":[{"id":2704,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":188200800,"date_end":1277787600,"appointing_president":"Gerald Ford","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2704"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32732,"mime":"image\/png","size":62101,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/john_paul_stevens\/john_paul_stevens.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":12611,"identifier":"john_paul_stevens"},{"ID":15092,"name":"Sandra Day O\u0027Connor","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/sandra_day_oconnor","view_count":0,"last_name":"O\u0027Connor","roles":[{"id":2736,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":370242000,"date_end":1138687200,"appointing_president":"Ronald Reagan","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2736"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32763,"mime":"image\/png","size":49563,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/sandra_day_oconnor\/sandra_day_oconnor.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":8894,"identifier":"sandra_day_oconnor"},{"ID":15049,"name":"Antonin Scalia","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/antonin_scalia","view_count":0,"last_name":"Scalia","roles":[{"id":2693,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":528094800,"date_end":1455343200,"appointing_president":"Ronald Reagan","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2693"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32678,"mime":"image\/png","size":58944,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/antonin_scalia\/antonin_scalia.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":10732,"identifier":"antonin_scalia"},{"ID":15113,"name":"Anthony M. Kennedy","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/anthony_m_kennedy","view_count":0,"last_name":"Kennedy","roles":[{"id":2757,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":572162400,"date_end":1533013200,"appointing_president":"Ronald Reagan","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2757"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32679,"mime":"image\/png","size":47100,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/anthony_m_kennedy\/anthony_m_kennedy.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":11121,"identifier":"anthony_m_kennedy"},{"ID":15042,"name":"David H. Souter","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/david_h_souter","view_count":0,"last_name":"Souter","roles":[{"id":2686,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":655362000,"date_end":1246251600,"appointing_president":"George H. W. Bush","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2686"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32703,"mime":"image\/png","size":42141,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/david_h_souter\/david_h_souter.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":6839,"identifier":"david_h_souter"},{"ID":15100,"name":"Clarence Thomas","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/clarence_thomas","view_count":0,"last_name":"Thomas","roles":[{"id":2744,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":688194000,"date_end":0,"appointing_president":"George H. W. Bush","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2744"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32680,"mime":"image\/png","size":49064,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/clarence_thomas\/clarence_thomas.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":12518,"identifier":"clarence_thomas"},{"ID":15084,"name":"Ruth Bader Ginsburg","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/ruth_bader_ginsburg","view_count":0,"last_name":"Ginsburg","roles":[{"id":2728,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":744958800,"date_end":1600405200,"appointing_president":"Bill Clinton","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2728"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32681,"mime":"image\/png","size":45030,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/ruth_bader_ginsburg\/ruth_bader_ginsburg.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":9901,"identifier":"ruth_bader_ginsburg"},{"ID":15139,"name":"Stephen G. Breyer","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/stephen_g_breyer","view_count":0,"last_name":"Breyer","roles":[{"id":2785,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":775890000,"date_end":1656565200,"appointing_president":"Bill Clinton","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2785"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32682,"mime":"image\/png","size":49908,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/stephen_g_breyer\/stephen_g_breyer.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":10193,"identifier":"stephen_g_breyer"}],"court_start":775890000,"images":[{"id":78530,"mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1115948,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/courts\/rehnquist10.jpg"}],"identifier":"rehnquist10"}],"decided_by":{"ID":15238,"name":"Rehnquist Court (1994-2005)","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/courts\/rehnquist10","view_count":0,"members":[{"ID":15141,"name":"William H. Rehnquist","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/william_h_rehnquist","view_count":0,"last_name":"Rehnquist","roles":[{"id":2787,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":63612000,"date_end":528094800,"appointing_president":"Richard Nixon","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2787"},{"id":2788,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":528094800,"date_end":1125723600,"appointing_president":"Ronald Reagan","role_title":"Chief Justice of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2788"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32786,"mime":"image\/png","size":46923,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/william_h_rehnquist\/william_h_rehnquist.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":12293,"identifier":"william_h_rehnquist"},{"ID":15060,"name":"John Paul Stevens","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/john_paul_stevens","view_count":0,"last_name":"Stevens","roles":[{"id":2704,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":188200800,"date_end":1277787600,"appointing_president":"Gerald Ford","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2704"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32732,"mime":"image\/png","size":62101,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/john_paul_stevens\/john_paul_stevens.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":12611,"identifier":"john_paul_stevens"},{"ID":15092,"name":"Sandra Day O\u0027Connor","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/sandra_day_oconnor","view_count":0,"last_name":"O\u0027Connor","roles":[{"id":2736,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":370242000,"date_end":1138687200,"appointing_president":"Ronald Reagan","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2736"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32763,"mime":"image\/png","size":49563,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/sandra_day_oconnor\/sandra_day_oconnor.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":8894,"identifier":"sandra_day_oconnor"},{"ID":15049,"name":"Antonin Scalia","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/antonin_scalia","view_count":0,"last_name":"Scalia","roles":[{"id":2693,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":528094800,"date_end":1455343200,"appointing_president":"Ronald Reagan","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2693"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32678,"mime":"image\/png","size":58944,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/antonin_scalia\/antonin_scalia.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":10732,"identifier":"antonin_scalia"},{"ID":15113,"name":"Anthony M. Kennedy","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/anthony_m_kennedy","view_count":0,"last_name":"Kennedy","roles":[{"id":2757,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":572162400,"date_end":1533013200,"appointing_president":"Ronald Reagan","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2757"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32679,"mime":"image\/png","size":47100,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/anthony_m_kennedy\/anthony_m_kennedy.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":11121,"identifier":"anthony_m_kennedy"},{"ID":15042,"name":"David H. Souter","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/david_h_souter","view_count":0,"last_name":"Souter","roles":[{"id":2686,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":655362000,"date_end":1246251600,"appointing_president":"George H. W. Bush","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2686"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32703,"mime":"image\/png","size":42141,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/david_h_souter\/david_h_souter.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":6839,"identifier":"david_h_souter"},{"ID":15100,"name":"Clarence Thomas","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/clarence_thomas","view_count":0,"last_name":"Thomas","roles":[{"id":2744,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":688194000,"date_end":0,"appointing_president":"George H. W. Bush","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2744"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32680,"mime":"image\/png","size":49064,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/clarence_thomas\/clarence_thomas.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":12518,"identifier":"clarence_thomas"},{"ID":15084,"name":"Ruth Bader Ginsburg","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/ruth_bader_ginsburg","view_count":0,"last_name":"Ginsburg","roles":[{"id":2728,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":744958800,"date_end":1600405200,"appointing_president":"Bill Clinton","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2728"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32681,"mime":"image\/png","size":45030,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/ruth_bader_ginsburg\/ruth_bader_ginsburg.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":9901,"identifier":"ruth_bader_ginsburg"},{"ID":15139,"name":"Stephen G. Breyer","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/people\/stephen_g_breyer","view_count":0,"last_name":"Breyer","roles":[{"id":2785,"type":"scotus_justice","date_start":775890000,"date_end":1656565200,"appointing_president":"Bill Clinton","role_title":"Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States","institution_name":"Supreme Court of the United States","href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/preson_role\/scotus_justice\/2785"}],"thumbnail":{"id":32682,"mime":"image\/png","size":49908,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/people\/stephen_g_breyer\/stephen_g_breyer.thumb.png"},"length_of_service":10193,"identifier":"stephen_g_breyer"}],"court_start":775890000,"images":[{"id":78530,"mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1115948,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/courts\/rehnquist10.jpg"}],"identifier":"rehnquist10"},"term":"1998","location":null,"opinion_announcement":[{"id":19832,"title":"Opinion Announcement - June 14, 1999","unavailable":null,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/case_media\/opinion_announcement_audio\/19832"}],"description":null,"written_opinion":[{"id":3646,"title":"Syllabus","author":null,"type":{"value":"syllabus","label":"Syllabus"},"justia_opinion_id":1960520,"justia_opinion_url":"https:\/\/supreme.justia.com\/cases\/federal\/us\/527\/198\/","judge_full_name":null,"judge_last_name":null,"title_overwrite":null,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/case_document\/written_opinion\/3646"},{"id":3647,"title":"View Case","author":null,"type":{"value":"case","label":null},"justia_opinion_id":1960521,"justia_opinion_url":"https:\/\/supreme.justia.com\/cases\/federal\/us\/527\/198\/case.html","judge_full_name":null,"judge_last_name":null,"title_overwrite":null,"href":"https:\/\/api.oyez.org\/case_document\/written_opinion\/3647"}],"related_cases":null,"justia_url":"https:\/\/supreme.justia.com\/cases\/federal\/us\/527\/198\/","argument2_url":null}