Federalist Radio Hour ‘Lion of the Law’: How Justice Scalia Transformed The Supreme Court
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Feb 20, 2026 James Rosen, Newsmax chief Washington correspondent and author of Scalia: Supreme Court Years, discusses Justice Antonin Scalia's embrace of originalism and how it reshaped legal practice. He recounts Scalia's courtroom style, surprising rulings that showed intellectual integrity, personal anecdotes from lunches, and the justice's friendships across ideological lines.
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Originalism Reshaped Modern Jurisprudence
- James Rosen argues Scalia's originalism reshaped American legal practice away from the "living constitution."
- Scalia made lawyers and judges prioritize text and original meaning over legislative history and intent.
Lunch With Scalia And The Rabbit
- James Rosen recounts two private lunches with Justice Scalia at a modest Italian restaurant where Scalia insisted he order rabbit.
- The story highlights Scalia's forceful personality and informal, persuasive charm off the bench.
From Closed Conferences To Oral Argument
- Scalia found the Supreme Court's closed conferences stifling compared with the collegial D.C. Circuit.
- He redirected his energy to oral argument, where his questioning and wit became a defining force.
