Supreme Court Nominations

Americans Want Revelations from Supreme Court Nominees, Poll Finds

More than two-thirds of Americans think the Supreme Court is crucial for success of the country, but they have differing opinions on their ideal justice. And they are decidedly nosy about the nominees. A majority of Americans think Supreme Court nominees should have to answer a variety of questions, ranging…

Sep 23, 2010 4:24 PM CDT

Kagan Sworn In, with Three Major Constitutional Disputes Looming

Elena Kagan was sworn in as a U.S. Supreme Court justice Saturday, first taking the oath for federal employees and then the oath for judges. Afterward, Kagan said she would uphold the rule of law, pledging to “work my hardest and try my best to fulfill these commitments and serve…

Aug 9, 2010 11:40 AM CDT

Senate Confirms Kagan

Updated: Elena Kagan has been confirmed by the Senate as the newest justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. The vote was 63-37, reports the Oval blog of USA Today. Only five Republicans voted in Kagan’s favor. Once sworn in, the U.S. Solicitor General and former Harvard Law School dean will…

Aug 5, 2010 7:58 PM CDT

Roberts and Kagan Tangled in Oral Arguments. Will It Affect Court Relationship?

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. sometimes appeared exasperated with Elena Kagan during the six cases she argued before the Supreme Court as solicitor general, raising questions about potential friction if she wins confirmation this week and becomes the newest justice. Slate notes Kagan’s “sometimes uneasy” history at the court,…

Aug 4, 2010 2:26 PM CDT

Women Pay ‘Steep Price’ for Time Off Work; Supreme Court Nominations Are Example

The last three women nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court—Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Harriet Miers—have more than one thing in common. They are all single and childless. The last three male nominees, in contrast, were all married with children. The New York Times uses the example to illustrate a…

Aug 4, 2010 1:51 PM CDT

Senate Begins Debate on Kagan Nomination

The Senate has begun debate on the nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court. A decision is expected by the end of the week, the Associated Press reports. A few Republicans are expected to join most of the Senate Democrats in voting for confirmation. The AP…

Aug 3, 2010 2:49 PM CDT

Scalia Doubts He Would Win Confirmation if Vote Were Today

Justice Antonin Scalia linked the “living Constitution” doctrine with politically charged U.S. Supreme Court confirmation hearings in a speech in Bozeman, Mont., on Wednesday. Scalia said that Supreme Court appointments have become political events since justices began acting as arbiter’s of the nation’s morals, the Associated Press reports. He speculated…

Jul 29, 2010 2:01 PM CDT

Likely Kagan Recusals Highlight Vague Standards for Justices

Elena Kagan has identified 11 cases in which she would recuse herself if she is confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court because of work she did on the cases as solicitor general. But she is not promising to step aside if the court considers the new health care legislation, the…

Jul 26, 2010 2:20 PM CDT

A Third Woman Will Change the Supreme Court, Columnist Says

Columnist David Broder expects a third woman will change the Supreme Court, just as women journalists changed newsrooms. Writing in the Washington Post, Broder said he believes the expected confirmation of Elena Kagan “will change the high court in ways that no one foresees.” He recalls the changes when female…

Jul 22, 2010 1:52 PM CDT

If Kagan Is Confirmed, Harvard & Yale Law Grads on Top Court Will Hit All-Time High

As Elena Kagan cleared one hurdle today en route to her likely confirmation as a justice of the United States Supreme Court, the stars are now aligned for a historic tally of elite Ivy League graduates on the nation’s top bench. Aside from Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who started at…

Jul 20, 2010 9:28 PM CDT

At Kagan Hearings, ‘Umpire’ Mentioned Nine Times and ‘God’ Five Times

An analogy plucked from the confirmation hearing for Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. continues to have an impact. Roberts compared judges to umpires calling balls and strikes. Now, in the confirmation hearing for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan, the “umpire” word came up nine times, according to a…

Jul 15, 2010 1:04 PM CDT

Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Declines to Endorse Kagan

The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is declining to endorse Elena Kagan’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, citing unanswered questions about her civil rights views. The group’s executive director, Barbara Arnwine, said in a press release that the Lawyers’ Committee applauds the nomination of a woman with…

Jul 13, 2010 2:47 PM CDT

Senators Probe for Kagan Weak Points, While Ex-Editor Hits Her Pronunciations

As senators looked for weak points in follow-up questions submitted to U.S. Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan, a former editor wondered why no one asked about her “substandard” pronunciations. Six senators submitted questions to Kagan, and her answers were “finely sanded” to avoid last-minute controversy, the Washington Post reports. She…

Jul 12, 2010 4:16 PM CDT

John McCain Op-Ed Explains Why He’ll Vote Against Kagan

Sen. John McCain says he’ll vote against Elena Kagan’s confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court. McCain explains why in a USA Today op-ed. “When Kagan was dean of Harvard Law School, she unmistakably discouraged Harvard students from considering a career in the military—even while claiming to do otherwise—by denying military…

Jul 8, 2010 1:11 PM CDT

Would Kagan’s Fundraising Prowess Bring Recusals? It Depends, Ethics Experts Say

U.S. Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan raised about $303 million in a fundraising campaign when she was dean of Harvard Law School, a feat that set a record for all law schools. But will that accomplishment create conflicts leading Kagan to recuse herself in some cases if she is confirmed…

Jul 7, 2010 12:09 PM CDT