Justice Stevens stood firmly for the rule of law , his former law partner says . Robert Schapiro says Stevens held presidents to account , said they were not above the law . He believed everyone , regardless of means , should have access to courts , he says . First appointed to the bench by President Nixon and then elevated to the high court by President Ford , Stevens was a Republican from a different era . Schapiro : The law requires standing up to presidents and standing up for the nameless .
Justice Stevens stood firmly for the rule of law , his former law partner says . Robert Schapiro says Stevens held presidents to account , said they were not above the law . He believed everyone , regardless of means , should have access to courts , he says . Schapiro : The law requires standing up to presidents and standing up for the nameless .