President Barack Obama wrote Wednesday in a SCOTUSblog post that any nominee to the Supreme Court would be one who understands justice is “not about abstract legal theory” but how it affects people’s lives “in rapidly changing times.”
“First and foremost, the person I appoint will be eminently qualified. He or she will have an independent mind, rigorous intellect, impeccable credentials, and a record of excellence and integrity. I’m looking for a mastery of the law, with an ability to hone in on the key issues before the Court, and provide clear answers to complex legal questions,” wrote Obama.
He continued to say, “Second, the person I appoint will be someone who recognizes the limits of the judiciary’s role; who understands that a judge’s job is to interpret the law, not make the law. I seek judges who approach decisions without any particular ideology or agenda, but rather a commitment to impartial justice, a respect for precedent, and a determination to faithfully apply the law to the facts at hand.
“But I’m also mindful that there will be cases that reach the Supreme Court in which the law is not clear.”
Obama added: “That’s why the third quality I seek in a judge is a keen understanding that justice is not about abstract legal theory, nor some footnote in a dusty casebook. It’s the kind of life experience earned outside the classroom and the courtroom; experience that suggests he or she views the law not only as an intellectual exercise, but also grasps the way it affects the daily reality of people’s lives in a big, complicated democracy, and in rapidly changing times. That, I believe, is an essential element for arriving at just decisions and fair outcomes.”
Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee announced Tuesday that they will refuse to hold hearings or a vote in 2016 for any Supreme Court nominee Obama puts forth.
Obama wrote in the blog post, “As Senators prepare to fulfill their constitutional responsibility to consider the person I appoint, I hope they’ll move quickly to debate and then confirm this nominee so that the Court can continue to serve the American people at full strength.