considerations for Supreme Court nomination

  • legal experience

  • ideology

  • Senate composition

  • ‘rating’ from American Bar Association

  • social characteristics

merrick garland:

  • considered by Obama in 2009, 2010

  • nominated by Obama on 16 March 2016 (8 months before election) to replace Associate Justice Antonin Scalia

    • Senate (Mitch McConell) refused to even consider (Republican majority)

    • “no hearings, no votes, no action whatsoever”

  • moderate liberal

  • most experienced in federal judiciary field than any other SC judge in history

  • white male replacing white male in Antonin Scalia

    • Antonin Scalia first Italian-American judge

  • ABA rating: well-qualified, highest rating