Virginia Beach, Va. (WTKR) - A Regent University School of Law Professor who studied under Antonin Scalia is reflecting on the life of the late Supreme Court Justice.
Associate Professor Brad Jacob studied Constitutional Law and Administrative Law under Justice Scalia while attending the University of Chicago Law School in the early 1980s.
Scalia passed away Saturday during a trip to Texas.
Jacob remembers Scalia always had a commanding presence in the classroom, that he was quick witted and was a man respected by those who disagreed with his viewpoints.
Scalia once lobbied Obama advisor to have Elena Kagan nominated to the Supreme Court
"It's interesting that even people who completely disagree with his Supreme Court opinions have been coming out and talking about what a wonderful man he was," Jacob shared with NewsChannel 3's Todd Corillo Monday.
He believes one of the lasting legacies of Scalia will be how the Supreme Court has dealt with the Constitution as a written legal document.
"Scalia, through the power of his leadership, his intellectual ability, really turned the court back in the direction of saying the Constitution is a written document and we need to start talking about what those words are," he stated.
With Scalia's passing, the interim eight-justice Supreme Court could be influential.
"That may be extremely important in some cases. I think former Governor McDonnell is in a much weaker position in the Supreme Court than he was 3 days ago. I think our redistricting in Tidewater, in Virginia generally, is much less likely to be reviewed and reconsidered than it was three days ago," Jacob said.
While those issues will certainly play out in the coming weeks, Jacob says Scalia will be remembered for his love of life, his family and his legal mind for much longer.
