United States Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. will speak at the University of Nebraska College of Law on Sept. 19. Roberts will participate in a public conversation with the Honorable William Jay Riley, chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
The event is sponsored by the Roman L. Hruska Institute for the Administration of Justice and will begin at noon in the Hamann Auditorium at the College of Law, 1875 N. 42nd St. It is free and open to the public, but seating will be limited.
President George W. Bush nominated Roberts in 2005 to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. However, when Chief Justice William Rehnquist died before Roberts’ confirmation hearings, Roberts was re-nominated to fill the role of chief justice.
In his nine years as chief justice, Roberts has overseen landmark decisions on free speech, gay marriage, campaign finance law and health care reform, among others.
“The College of Law is honored to be hosting Chief Justice John Roberts,” Dean Susan Poser said. “This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn about the U.S. Supreme Court from an inside perspective. It may also help to humanize the work of the Court and the complexities of judicial decision making.”
Overflow viewing will be available at the College of Law in rooms 109, 111 and 113. Faculty, staff, and members of the Nebraska State Bar Foundation who are unable to attend the event may also view the event via live stream. A link will be provided via email to those who have registered.
The Roman L. Hruska Institute for the Administration of Justice was created in 1995 as a partnership between the Nebraska State Bar Foundation and the College of Law. Named for the former Nebraska U.S. senator, the institute’s purpose is to “educate lawyers, law students and the public-at-large in Nebraska to the importance of the administration of justice, particularly at the federal level through the conduct of symposia and lectures.”
