Category Archives: Appointments

Appointments, History of the Court, Justices, This Day In Supreme Court History

On this day in Supreme Court History—February 18, 1988: Justice Anthony Kennedy Takes the Oath of Office

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On this day in 1988, Justice Anthony Kennedy was sworn in as the 104th Justice of the Supreme Court. President Ronald Reagan nominated Kennedy as an Associate Justice on November 12, 1987. Kennedy was Reagan’s third attempt to fill the seat of Justice Lewis Powell, who had retired the previous June. Reagan’s first two nominations … Continue reading On this day in Supreme Court History—February 18, 1988: Justice Anthony Kennedy Takes the Oath of Office →

Appointments, Justices, Kavanaugh, Politics

An International View of the Supreme Court Confirmation Process

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 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 →

Appointments, Justices, Politics

Defending the Supreme Court—The Justices Speak Out

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In the wake of the highly contentious confirmation hearing of Justice Kavanaugh, the Justices are speaking out about the importance of the Supreme Court’s independence from politics. At an event last week at the University of Minnesota Law School, Chief Justice John Roberts made a point of saying that he wanted to discuss “events in … Continue reading Defending the Supreme Court—The Justices Speak Out →

Appointments, Confirmation Hearings, Justices, Kavanaugh, OT 2018

The Court’s Newest Justice

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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 →

Appointments, Justices, Kavanaugh

The Kavanaugh Nomination—Where Things Stands

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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 →

Appointments, Confirmation Hearings, Kavanaugh

More on the Kavanaugh Allegations

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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 →

Appointments, History of the Court, Justices, This Day In Supreme Court History

On This Day in Supreme Court History—September 26, 1986

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On this day in 1986, Antonin Scalia was sworn in as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. At the same ceremony, William Rehnquist was sworn in as the sixteenth Chief Justice of the United States. President Ronald Reagan used the occasion to praise the two men for their commitment to “judicial constraint.” … Continue reading On This Day in Supreme Court History—September 26, 1986 →

Appointments, Kavanaugh, News Update

Kavanaugh Fights Back

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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 →

Justices, Kavanaugh, News Update

The Latest on Cameras in the Supreme Court

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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 →

Appointments, Kavanaugh

Kavanaugh Nomination Update—September 20, 2018

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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 →