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Judge Stephen Reinhardt, a liberal stalwart on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, died last week in Southern California. He was 87.

We talked to two experts who clerked for Judge Reinhardt to tell us a little bit about him and his legacy: Jeffrey Fisher, a professor at Stanford Law School and Joshua Matz, a constitutional lawyer based in Washington.

The questions and their answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Q: What was Judge Reinhardt like?

Mr. Matz: Judge Reinhardt ranked among the most brilliant and influential judges in modern American history. His mastery of doctrine was equaled only by his conviction that law must aspire to justice, especially for the voiceless and vulnerable. His powerful opinions and tactical savvy — not to mention his rock-ribbed liberalism — made Reinhardt a hero to the left and a villain to the right.