Robert Bork (1927 - )

He Is A Leading Legal Voice On The Constitution

Robert Heron Bork is a distinguished legal scholar whose views on the meaning of the Constitution are both highly respected and controversial.

President Reagan appointed Bork, a former U.S. Solicitor General, to the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in 1982, then tried to name him to the Supreme Court in 1987. In his confirmation hearings, Bork was attacked for his view that the Constitution should be interpreted to reflect the original intent of the Framers. His opponents, who believe the Constitution can be interpreted to reflect social changes since the document was written, dominated the contentious hearings. Bork was rejected.

He resigned from the federal court in 1988 but continues to be a leading voice in the debate on interpreting the Constitution.