Judge Richard A. Posner Dies at 87 After Writing 50-Plus Books and Thousands of Opinions
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Nov 12
Judge Richard A. Posner Dies at 87 After Writing 50-Plus Books and Thousands of Opinions
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Nov 12
Summary
Richard A. Posner died Tuesday in Chicago at 87, his son Eric confirmed, ending the life of one of the most influential American jurists of the past century.
From 1981 to 2017, Posner served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, where he produced thousands of opinions alongside more than 50 books and extensive scholarly writing.
A 2000 study ranked him the most-cited legal scholar of the second half of the 20th century, ahead of Ronald Dworkin by nearly a factor of two.
His influence also dominated legal education: studies in 2002 and again this year found his opinions appeared in casebooks more than any other judge's, with his lead still described as "astonishing."