Style or Substance? Which Made Scalia (In)Famous?

Justice Antonin Scalia is one of the most cited Supreme Court justices of all time, former Scalia clerk Brian T. Fitzpatrick , now a professor at Vanderbilt Law School, Nashville, said Nov. 17.

But it’s hard to determine “what’s doing most of the work,” Fitzpatrick said. Is it the substance of Scalia’s writing, or his style that attract lawyers to his writings? Fitzpatrick was speaking at a Federalist Society panel dedicated to the late justice, who passed away unexpectedly in February.

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Joan Larsen , who is in the running to replace Scalia, seemed to think style ...