Advice to President Obama on Judicial Nominations March 11, 2009

Hosted by: The Heritage Foundation

Even before President Obama took the oath of office, the pundits began to speculate as to how many Supreme Court vacancies might occur over the next four years, and what kind of justices President Obama would nominate. Besides a possible opening on the Supreme Court, President Obama has already inherited 54 unfilled judgeships at the federal court of appeals and district court level. These vacancies, and those yet to come, give President Obama the opportunity to leave a lasting impression on American jurisprudence. What factors should he consider when evaluating potential nominees from the district courts through the Supreme Court? Would liberal appointees be less likely to grant the President deference on the use and scope of executive power? Given the increased politicization of the confirmation process, should President Obama seek to reconcile the warring factions? What pitfalls may he encounter in the process if he fails to do so? Our panel of experts from the Executive Branch, the media, and the academy will offer their insights on these timely and important questions.

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