Sacramento Legal Community Reacts To Justice Anthony Kennedy's Retirement Announcement Cody Drabble Thursday, June 28, 2018 | Sacramento, CA Listen / download audio Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin. Andrew Nixon / Capital Public Radio U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, a Sacramento native, announced he is retiring from the high court this summer. The decision to step down from active service on the court sets up a contentious confirmation battle during an election year. McGeorge School of Law constitutional scholar Professor Leslie Jacobs reacts to the announcement and previews the shift in membership on the high court.