Supreme Court Nominations

Law prof sees ‘nuclear option’ bright side: More interesting SCOTUS nominees

The era of bland and noncontroversial U.S. Supreme Court nominees may be coming to an end. And that may be a good thing. That’s the observation of Harvard law professor Noah Feldman, who sees a bright side to the Senate’s decision Thursday to invoke the “nuclear option” to allow for a vote on Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch.

Apr 6, 2017 3:50 PM CDT

Senate Republicans approve ‘nuclear option’ to end Gorsuch filibuster

Updated: Senate Republicans on Thursday invoked the "nuclear option," changing the rules to allow them to end a filibuster on Supreme Court nominations by a majority vote. Republicans acted after they were unable to get the 60 votes they needed to end debate on Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch.

Apr 6, 2017 9:20 AM CDT

Law review author says she isn’t bothered by Gorsuch’s use of similar sentences in book

The author of a 1984 Indiana Law Journal article says she isn’t troubled by U.S. Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch’s use of sentences that closely track her own in his book on assisted suicide.

Apr 5, 2017 10:40 AM CDT

Senate Judiciary Committee approves Gorsuch nomination; Democrats have enough votes for filibuster

Updated: The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved and sent to the Senate the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Republican-dominated committee had been expected to recommend confirmation. The 11-9 vote was along party lines.

Apr 3, 2017 1:34 PM CDT

New ads support Gorsuch; which Democratic senators are targeted?

Updated: A group that is spending up to $10 million to support Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch has revealed its latest ad, set to run ahead of Senate votes next week. The ad by the Judicial Crisis Network features Gorsuch’s testimony at his confirmation hearing and urges viewers to tell…

Mar 31, 2017 12:25 PM CDT

GOP could try these ‘nuclear option’ alternatives to put Gorsuch on the Supreme Court

Senate Republicans who want to put Judge Neil Gorsuch on the U.S. Supreme court don’t necessarily have to resort to the “nuclear option,” which means reducing the number of votes needed to end a filibuster from 60 to 51. Some Republicans are reluctant to change the rules because the tables…

Mar 30, 2017 7:00 AM CDT

ABA testifies on ‘well-qualified’ rating of Judge Gorsuch: ‘Our task was to cast a wide net’

After an exhaustive review that produced a report with more than 900 pages, Judge Neil Gorsuch unanimously earned the ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary’s highest rating, of “well-qualified,” committee members told the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary on Thursday. Nancy Scott Degan of New Orleans, the chair…

Mar 23, 2017 4:30 PM CDT

Gorsuch confirmation hearings, Day 4: He is portrayed as empathetic, yet bad for the little guy

The Senate Judiciary Committee wrapped up its hearings on Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch on Thursday with testimony offering competing views of the judge. Former law clerks and judges who worked with Gorsuch on the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals praised his kindness, empathy and collegiality. Representatives of…

Mar 23, 2017 3:44 PM CDT

Democrats to filibuster Neil Gorsuch nomination to Supreme Court, Schumer says

If Judge Neil Gorsuch is to be confirmed as the next associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, he will likely have to survive a Senate filibuster.

Mar 23, 2017 3:01 PM CDT

Live blog of confirmation hearings, Day 3: Dems try to pin down Gorsuch on abortion, gay marriage

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday sought clues from U.S. Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch about how he would rule in cases involving abortion and same-sex marriage.

Mar 22, 2017 8:33 PM CDT

Live blog of confirmation hearings, Day 2: Gorsuch condemns attacks on the judiciary

U.S. Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch told senators during the second day of confirmation hearings on Tuesday that the independence of the judiciary “is in my bones.”

Mar 21, 2017 7:55 PM CDT

Live blog of confirmation hearings, Day 1: Gorsuch says judges aren’t politicians in robes

U.S. Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday that judges are not politicians in robes, and his record on the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals supplies proof.

Mar 20, 2017 4:18 PM CDT

Frozen trucker case is among decisions said to illustrate Gorsuch’s legal approach

Conservatives and liberals both agree that the case of the frozen trucker is among the decisions that best illustrate how Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch sees the law. Liberals say the dissent by Gorsuch shows how he denies important remedies to workers, while conservatives say the decision shows his devotion…

Mar 17, 2017 2:24 PM CDT

As opposition to administrative state grows, Gorsuch stance on Chevron deference is likely issue

Conservatives who want to reduce the power of federal regulators might have an ally in U.S. Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch. A judge on the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Gorsuch wrote an opinion last year that is likely to be an issue during confirmation hearings next week,…

Mar 16, 2017 7:00 AM CDT

Secretive billionaire lobbied for Gorsuch’s 10th Circuit nomination; the two men have longtime ties

U.S. Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch obtained his seat on the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after a secretive billionaire with whom he has longtime ties lobbied for his nomination. The New York Times has a story that explores Gorsuch’s ties with Philip F. Anschutz, who has an…

Mar 15, 2017 9:28 AM CDT