Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, the conservative and provocative judge who died at age 79, was known for pointed language, fiercely held opinions and a sardonic wit that invoked fairy tales, foreigners and hippies.
Since joining the court in 1986, Scalia weighed in – often colorfully and memorably – on the major issues of the day, including guns, gay marriage and the death penalty.
Some of the significant opinions he wrote for the court’s majority – as well as the dissents for which he is perhaps even better known:
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA v. HELLER, 2008
Scalia wrote the majority opinion in a seminal Second Amendment case, writing for the court in a 5-4 ruling that upheld the right to have guns for self-defense in the home.