I’ve had my concerns about the judicial philosophy of nominee John Roberts. Here’s some indication that he is a decent and fair-minded legal professional, and might not be as hard core as many fear.

Here is an article from the LA Times in which he is praised by some lawyers who represented gay rights activists in a victorious landmark USSC ruling. Roberts assisted them on the case, as part of doing pro bono work for his firm.

Whatever Roberts’ political philosophy, he was praised for his professionism and fair-mindedness by the activists he assisted.

That’s not a bad sign.

It might put him in the camp of Justice Kennedy, a reliable conservative but perhaps not a hard core idealogue.

Roberts Donated Help to Gay Rights Case
Roberts Donated Help to Gay Rights Case
# In 1996, activists won a landmark anti-bias ruling with the aid of the high court nominee.

By Richard A. Serrano, Times Staff Writer

WASHINGTON %u2014 Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts Jr. worked behind the scenes for gay rights activists, and his legal expertise helped them persuade the Supreme Court to issue a landmark 1996 ruling protecting people from discrimination because of their sexual orientation.
[…]

“John Roberts … was just terrifically helpful in meeting with me and spending some time on the issue,” she said. “He seemed to be very fair-minded and very astute.”

Dubofsky said Roberts helped her form the argument that the initiative violated the “equal protections” clause of the Constitution.

The case was argued before the Supreme Court in October 1995, and the ruling was handed down the following May. Suzanne B. Goldberg, a staff lawyer for New York-based Lambda, a legal services group for gays and lesbians, called it the “single most important positive ruling in the history of the gay rights movement.”

[…]