It is being reported that “President Donald Trump’s top two contenders to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy are Judges Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, The Daily Caller News Foundation has learned.”
Trump has placed a deadline of July 9 to make his announcement. He began his search with six or seven candidates, including two women. One of those women remains tops on the list.
Here’s a brief outline of Judge Kavanaugh’s experience:
Federal Judicial Service:
Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Nominated by George W. Bush on January 25, 2006, to a seat vacated by Laurence H. Silberman. Confirmed by the Senate on May 26, 2006, and received commission on May 30, 2006.
Education:
Yale College, B.A., 1987
Yale Law School, J.D., 1990
Professional Career:
Law clerk, Hon. Walter K. Stapleton, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 1990-1991
Law clerk, Hon. Alex Kozinski, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 1991-1992
Attorney, Office of the Solicitor General, U.S. Department of Justice, 1992-1993
Law clerk, Hon. Anthony M. Kennedy, Supreme Court of the United States, 1993-1994
Associate independent counsel, Whitewater investigation, 1994-1997, 1998
Private practice, 1997-1998, 1999-2001
Associate counsel, President George W. Bush, 2001-2003; senior associate counsel, 2003
Assistant to the president and staff secretary, President George W. Bush, 2003-2006
Here’s a summary of Amy Coney Barrett background:
Federal Judicial Service:
Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Nominated by Donald J. Trump on May 8, 2017, to a seat vacated by John Daniel Tinder. Confirmed by the Senate on October 31, 2017, and received commission on November 2, 2017.
Education:
Rhodes College, B.A., 1994
Notre Dame Law School, J.D., 1997
Professional Career:
Law clerk, Hon. Laurence H. Silberman, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, 1997-1998
Law clerk, Hon. Antonin Scalia, Supreme Court of the United States, 1998-1999
Private practice, Washington, D.C., 1999-2001
George Washington University Law School, 2001-2002; adjunct faculty member, 2001; John M. Olin Fellow in Law, 2001-2002
Professor of law, Notre Dame Law School, 2002-2017
Visiting associate professor of law, University of Virginia Law School, 2007
Miscellaneous Information:
Given name at birth: Amy Vivian Coney
Summary
Kavanaugh’s marriage to former President Bush’s secretary has been an issue of controversy and Barrett’s relative inexperience will be issues. However, both are serious judges with outstanding reputations in the court. Both are exactly the kind of judge conservatives are looking for. Barrett served as a clerk to the late Supreme Court Justice, Antoni
