Category Archives: Kavanaugh

An International View of the Supreme Court Confirmation Process

 This guest post is by Patricia Villa Berger, a J.S.D. candidate at Chicago-Kent College of Law. The debate over Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court captured the nation’s attention. Political analysts and legal experts studied this story from the perspective of party politics, the upcoming midterm elections, gender relations, judicial virtues and temperament, standards … Continue reading An International View of the Supreme Court Confirmation Process

The Court’s Newest Justice

Brett Kavanaugh has been an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court for over a week now. Here’s a recap of events since his October 6 Senate confirmation vote. By some measures, Kavanaugh is the least popular nominee to make it to the Court. Kavanaugh’s 50-48 confirmation vote tied Justice Clarence Thomas, who was approved 52-48 … Continue reading The Court’s Newest Justice

The Kavanaugh Nomination—Where Things Stands

Last Thursday’s explosive Senate Judiciary Committee hearing is still reverberating across the political landscape. What took place is sure to have significant ramifications for the upcoming midterm elections, for sexual politics in the coming years, and for future Supreme Court nominations hearings. Still unclear, however, is whether it changed the course of what had just … Continue reading The Kavanaugh Nomination—Where Things Stands

More on the Kavanaugh Allegations

Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination, and sexual misconduct claims against him, have continued to dominate this week’s news. When we left off last Thursday, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford was scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, September 24, but had asked for a thorough FBI investigation prior to her hearing. Her request called … Continue reading More on the Kavanaugh Allegations

Kavanaugh Fights Back

In an event without precedent in the history of Supreme Court confirmation hearings, nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh gave a televised interview to refute sexual assault allegations dating back to his high school years. (Video here; transcript here.) He appeared on Fox News Monday night, seated alongside his wife, Ashley Estes Kavanaugh. The substance of Kavanaugh’s … Continue reading Kavanaugh Fights Back

The Latest on Cameras in the Supreme Court

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh broke precedent during his confirmation hearings by declining to take a stance on cameras in the Supreme Court. Kavanaugh acknowledged that many recent nominees have suggested during confirmation hearings that they would support video coverage of the oral arguments at the Court, but then promptly reversed themselves upon taking a … Continue reading The Latest on Cameras in the Supreme Court

Kavanaugh Nomination Update—September 20, 2018

Amid the sexual assault allegations against Judge Kavanaugh, there have been renewed calls for the Senate to delay its vote on the nominee. Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein issued a statement on Sunday in which she expressed her “support” for Kavanaugh’s accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, the psychology professor who only went public with her accusations because … Continue reading Kavanaugh Nomination Update—September 20, 2018

Do Controversial Confirmation Hearings Hurt the Court?

We are in the midst of one of the most heated Supreme Court confirmations in recent memory. In terms of pure public drama, Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s hearings—which will continue on Monday when he confronts allegations of his involvement in sexual assault while in high school—ranks behind only those of Clarence Thomas in 1991 and Robert … Continue reading Do Controversial Confirmation Hearings Hurt the Court?

Kavanaugh Hearings: Roundup

Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing last week was highly contentious from the very start. The first day is generally limited to opening statements by the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, formal introductions of the nominee, and the nominee’s own opening statement. But as CBS reports, day one began with Democratic senators’ … Continue reading Kavanaugh Hearings: Roundup

The Kavanaugh Documents Controversy

During the first day of the hearing for Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination for the Supreme Court starts on Tuesday, September 4, 2018. On the first day, the senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee will make opening statements, but there won’t be questions for the nominee. But these opening statements are likely to be unusually contentious. … Continue reading The Kavanaugh Documents Controversy