Supreme Court Nominations
Who Will Replace Souter? Today’s News: Obama Narrows Choices, Wants Empathy
Posted May 13, 2009 4:18 PM CST
By Martha Neil
CNN: "Sources: High court selection process down to finalists"
Associated Press: “Possible SupCo Nominee in the Spotlight at Hearing”
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: "Chief Justice Sears to join Chicago law firm"
Los Angeles Times: "Americans not concerned with diversity on Supreme Court, poll shows"
Washington Post: “Obama Makes Empathy a Requirement for Court”
Slate: "Once More, Without Feeling"
- How B of A’s GC Got Fired: Leave Now, and Leave Your BlackBerry Behind
- Schools Ranked by 'Super Lawyers' Produced
- Law Firm Price Wars Break Out as Some Try ‘Loss Leader’ Bids for Work
- Five Questions for Law Firms Abandoning Lockstep Compensation
- Judge Jails 2 Attorneys for Contempt in 4 Days
- Reed Smith Will Ask Nonequity Partners to Pony Up Possibly 15% of Pay
- Court Deputy Ordered to Apologize or Face Jail After Taking Lawyer's Paperwork
- Skadden Jumps on the Bonus Bandwagon
- ABA Executive Director Resigns
- Nasty Attitude to Co-Worker, Naughty Word in E-Mail Cost 2 Their Jobs
Should Supreme Court Justices Be Able to Review News Accounts Before Publication?
Comments
B. McLeod
May 13, 2009 4:37 PM CST
When I first saw the mention of the “empathy” criteria, I thought they might have to reduce each side’s argument time by five minutes, so the new appointee can come down and do the Vulcan mind-meld on each counsel participating in the argument. Then I read the Post story, and realized the President apparently means he wants a Justice who will disregard applicable law and rule based on their personal perceptions of fairness. I think the President is wrong, and that this is not part of the job description of a Justice of the Supreme Court. I hope the Senate will decline to confirm anybody who indicates an intention to rule on such a basis.
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T.R.
May 15, 2009 10:07 AM CST
The idea of “empathy” is rather abstract with many varying meanings. And, I think in this context many in the media have zeroed in on it and created a monster. There have also been many columnists/bloggers who entertain the notion that the president’s nominee should be someone other than a life-long federal judge—someone with more “real world” experience. Such a nominee could also be said to have “empathy” for non-Justice-type parties who would then come before the court. In my opinion, this all semantics over substance.
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