Alito Sworn in as 110th Supreme Court Justice (moved from ATSNN)

ww w.nytimes.com
Samuel A. Alito Jr., who has been widely praised for his intellect and integrity but both admired and assailed for his conservative judicial philosophy, was sworn in today as the 110th justice in the history of the Supreme Court.

The ceremony, at the Supreme Court, came shortly after Justice Alito was confirmed by a sharply divided Senate, which voted 58 to 42, largely along party lines. Legal scholars have described his jurisprudence as cautious, respectful of precedent — and solidly conservative. In contrast, the justice he will succeed, Sandra Day O'Connor, who is retiring, came to be widely regarded as a swing justice between the tribunal's liberal and conservative wings.

Justice Alito, who sat as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit for some 15 years, is only 55, so he could be on the Supreme Court for decades. He becomes the second relatively young conservative to ascend to the court in recent months. Last fall, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., who turned 51 on Friday, replaced William H. Rehnquist, who died in early September.


Please visit the link provided for the complete story.