Historic Supreme Court Nomination

US Government

Feb 28

Written By Jonathan Milner

Critical Analysis

On Friday, February 25, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was nominated by President Joseph Biden to fill the seat of outgoing justice Stephen Breyer. According to the data from the graph above, on what court does Judge Jackson currently sit?
According to the data from the graph above, where on the ideological spectrum would Supreme Court Justice Brown land?
According to the data from the graph above, what is the ideological split on the current Supreme Court Justice?
Explain whether Justice Brown would change the ideological balance of power on the Court?
Jackson’s nomination is historic — she’s poised to become the first Black woman and the first former public defender to serve on the nation’s highest court. The Supreme Court has already been home to two Black males (Marshall and Thomas), and 5 female justices (O’Connor, Ginsburg, Sotomayor, Kagan, and Barret). Why do you think it has taken this long to nominate a Black woman justice?
How does the Supreme Court confirmation process illustrate the concept of Checks and Balances.
How do you think Judge Jackson’s history as a defense attorney (she would be the first public defender ever to serve on the Supreme Court) would impact her rulings?
This will be our fourth Supreme Court nomination in barely over five years. Describe the process of a Supreme Court Justice nomination.
Since 1993 the following members of The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit have been elevated to the U.S. Supreme Court: Ginsburg, Bork (failed to be confirmed), Scalia, Thomas, Roberts (Chief Justice) Garland (failed to be confirmed), and Kavanaugh (“I Like Beer!”). The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is one of the thirteen United States Courts of Appeals. It has the smallest geographical jurisdiction of any of the U.S. federal appellate courts, and covers only one district court: the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Why is The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit so important?
According to the data from the graph below, there are other ways to score a judge’s ideology. The Database of Ideology, Money in Politics, and Elections (DIME) puts her to the left of Kagan and even Sotomayor. According to this metric, Jackson is actually one of the most liberal judges on the D.C. Circuit. Based on either of her ideological ratings, and the current makeup of America’s Republican Senators, explain whether you think that Brown will be confirmed.