Supreme Court Nominations

Trump to announce his Supreme Court nominee on July 9; two women are being considered

President Donald Trump said Friday that he has narrowed his list to a handful of potential U.S. Supreme Court nominees and will announce his choice to replace Justice Anthony M. Kennedy on July 9.

Jun 29, 2018 6:11 PM CDT

Liberal group launches ads attacking Trump’s potential Supreme Court picks

A liberal nonprofit group called Demand Justice is launching a “Ditch the List” digital ad campaign that targets potential Supreme Court nominees on President Donald Trump’s shortlist. The group’s executive director, Brian Fallon, tells BuzzFeed News that airing the ads now—before a vacancy occurs—will give progressives information they can use…

Jun 13, 2018 12:21 PM CDT

Any Supreme Court justices considering retirement should not delay, Grassley says

U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has a message for any Supreme Court justices considering retirement—don’t wait. “I just hope that if there is going to be a nominee, I hope it’s now or within two or three weeks, because we’ve got to get this…

May 10, 2018 2:26 PM CDT

ABA committee diligently and fairly evaluates credentials of federal judicial nominees

Since 1953, the ABA’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary has conducted independent, nonpartisan peer evaluations of the professional qualifications for nominees to the federal bench. The 15-member standing committee is independent of all other ABA activities and is not affected by ABA policies.

May 1, 2018 2:10 AM CDT

Kavanaugh lands in top six in ‘Scalia-ness’ ranking of SCOTUS contenders; who is No. 1?

Before Neil M. Gorsuch became a U.S. Supreme Court justice, a study of potential Supreme Court nominees had rated him as more “Scalia-like” than Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Samuel A. Alito Jr. The description proved true as Gorsuch took originalist positions and sided with Justice Clarence Thomas.…

Jan 16, 2018 8:00 AM CST

Trump reportedly considered withdrawing Gorsuch’s Supreme Court nomination

President Donald Trump reportedly told associates earlier this year that he was thinking about withdrawing Neil M. Gorsuch’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. Trump was upset following reports that Gorsuch had told a Democratic senator that he found Trump’s attacks on the judiciary “disheartening” and “demoralizing,” unnamed sources told…

Dec 19, 2017 9:38 AM CST

How serendipity, ‘Star Wars,’ Sunstein and constitutional law intersect

Justice requires great artistry. The narrative arc of our constitutional law saga is full of surprise, mystery and plot reversals.

Dec 1, 2017 1:15 AM CST

Congress should end partisan ‘nonsense’ over SCOTUS nominations, Ginsburg tells Chicago crowd

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg shared warm memories of her "dear colleague" Antonin Scalia, and called on Congress to end partisanship surrounding Supreme Court nominations in an appearance at a conference on Monday night in Chicago.

Sep 12, 2017 12:40 PM CDT

Chemerinsky: Gorsuch has quickly made his ideology clear

The most important development in the U.S. Supreme Court in the last year was the appointment and confirmation of Neil Gorsuch. A year ago at this time, many expected Hillary Clinton to be elected president and to see the confirmation of Chief Judge Merrick Garland—or perhaps even someone more liberal—to replace to Justice Antonin Scalia.

Aug 2, 2017 7:00 AM CDT

Merrick Garland for FBI director? Republican senator raises the possibility with a tweet

A senator who appeared on President Donald Trump’s list of 21 possible Supreme Court nominees has suggested a new position for onetime SCOTUS nominee Merrick Garland. U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, suggested Garland for FBI director in a tweet, Politico reports. ABC News and the Daily Beast are among the…

May 11, 2017 11:35 AM CDT

Trump says he doesn’t know if Kennedy will retire, but he’s got his list; will it be expanded?

President Donald Trump says he has heard rumors about the possible retirement of Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, but doesn’t have any special knowledge about the justice’s plans. In an interview with the Washington Times, Trump said he would choose a replacement from the same list of 21 potential nominees used…

May 2, 2017 9:42 AM CDT

Chief justice says partisan confirmation battles create ‘real danger’ for Supreme Court

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. on Tuesday criticized partisan rancor in the Supreme Court nomination process and warned of a negative impact. Roberts said the Supreme Court decides cases “in a completely nonpartisan way,” but there is “a real danger” that partisan hostility will affect the court, report the…

Apr 12, 2017 12:05 PM CDT