Warren E. Burger

Date of Birth: September 17, 1907

Zodiac Sign: Virgo

Date of Death: June 25, 1995

Biography

Warren Earl Burger was an influential American jurist who served as the 15th Chief Justice of the United States from 1969 to 1986. Appointed by President Richard Nixon, Burger is remembered for his efforts to modernize the administration of the federal judiciary and for his role in several landmark Supreme Court decisions. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Burger graduated from the St. Paul College of Law (now Mitchell Hamline School of Law) in 1931. He began his career in law as a private attorney and later served as an Assistant Attorney General. His judicial career began in earnest when he was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 1956. As Chief Justice, Burger presided over a period of significant change, including the contentious Roe v. Wade decision and the United States v. Nixon case, which led to President Nixon’s resignation. Despite his conservative leanings, Burger often navigated a centrist path through the complex legal landscape of the time. After retiring from the Supreme Court, he continued to work on legal and judicial issues until his death in 1995.

5 Interesting Facts about Warren E. Burger

1. Warren E. Burger was the longest-serving Chief Justice in the 20th century, with a tenure lasting 17 years.

2. He played a key role in the establishment of the National Center for State Courts, which aimed to improve judicial administration in the United States.

3. Burger was a staunch advocate for judicial reform and worked tirelessly to reduce case backlog in federal courts.

4. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan.

5. Burger was influential in the drafting and adoption of the American Bar Association’s Model Code of Judicial Conduct.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Warren E. Burger

1. “A sense of humor is a major defense against minor troubles.”

2. “Concepts of justice must have hands and feet to carry out justice in every case in the shortest possible time and the lowest possible cost.”

3. “Free speech carries with it some freedom to listen.”

4. “The courts of this country should not be the places where resolution of disputes begins. They should be the places where the disputes end after alternative methods of resolving disputes have been considered and tried.”

5. “The law is the witness and external deposit of our moral life. Its history is the history of the moral development of the race.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Warren E. Burger’s highest net worth is not widely documented; as a public servant, his earnings were primarily derived from government salary and pensions. It is estimated to have been modest compared to private-sector earnings.