The Biography of Robert N.C. Nix, Jr.

On the high court, Justice Nix developed a reputation as a voice for individual rights. A champion of the broader rights accorded by the state constitution, Justice Nix led the court to interpret the Pennsylvania Constitution to ensure more individual rights than the U.S. Constitution, especially in the areas of search and seizure and sovereign immunity. He was also an early voice against prosecutors using their power to exclude African Americans from juries. During his time on the Supreme Court, Nix was honored with 12 honorary doctorates and membership on the board of trustees of the American Inns of Court and many universities. Pope John Paul II inducted Nix as a Commander Knight in the Order of St. Gregory the Great.