ConfirmThem

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/11/us/politics/11judges.html?_r=1

"President Obama will soon begin naming a small stream of nominees to the federal appeals courts, administration officials said, a step that will provide the first signs of how much he intends to impose any ideological stamp on the nation’s judiciary."

"To fill a seat [in the Fourth Circuit] that traditionally goes to someone from Maryland, officials said the White House was considering nominating Andre Davis, a District Court judge based in Baltimore [and former failed Clinton nominee].

There are several candidates for the Virginia seat, including Elizabeth Magill, a law professor at the University of Virginia and daughter of a former federal appeals court judge.

For the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, based in New York, officials said the White House had settled on elevating Judge Gerard E. Lynch, a Columbia law professor, from the District Court."

a liberal/radical stamp.

BTW, did anyone see/hear/read Specter's remarks on the Senate floor today in support of two liberal/radical assistant AG's? There radical positions were dismissed by him as simple advocacy. Both passed the Senate, one with 20 against, the other with 25 against. I believe a president should get his nominees in almost all cases, but I think there's also a place to vote no if a senator cannot vote yes in good conscience.

Specter also said he was going to have a chat with a female Justice nominee who has very directly likened abortion opponents to those who supported slavery. Talk about reversing reality!

Guido Calabresi, a Clinton appointee on the 2nd COA (and a noted former Yale dean), just announced that he's taking senior status, effective 7/21/2009. Why July 21? By that point, he'll have attained 15 years on the federal bench -- the amount needed for him to retire with his full senior status salary. (Cabranes on the 2nd also reaches his 15-year mark later this summer.) Calabresi is 76.

Let the handicapping begin on whom Obama (and Dodd, and Lieberman) will nominate to replace Calabresi. Harold Koh? Akhil Amar? Someone else from Yale's faculty? Judges Stefan Underhill, Alvin Thompson, Robert Chatigny or Christopher Droney? My money would be on Koh, Amar, Thompson or Chatigny.

As I noted when Michael Daly Hawkins announced his taking of senior status next year, this is one of the few Clinton COA appointees who has ever taken senior status (or announced an intention to take senior status) thus far. Obviously, there will be more.

[Breitbart linked at Drudge. Surely this could be fodder for a new thread?]

BOSTON (AP) - Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg told law students there could be an opening on the Supreme Court soon but didn't hint at who might be leaving.
Ginsburg spoke Friday at New England Law's annual "Law Day."

In a question-and-answer session, she said the nine justices only take pictures together when a new member is added. She said: "We haven't had any of those for some time, but surely we will soon."

She declined to take questions from reporters at the event.

The 75-year-old justice had surgery last month for pancreatic cancer but returned to the bench without missing a day of work. She said advice from fellow cancer survivor Sandra Day O'Connor on when to schedule chemotherapy has helped her to keep up with the court's pace.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view/2009_03_14_In_Hub__Jus...

As Classic reports, Ginsburg is implying that there will be a SCOTUS opening soon, but not her own. I think Stevens will likely stay to set a few new longevity records of his own. That means that Souter may well be the one leaving soon.

you could be right as you have been so many times before. But if that's the case, why was there a recent article stating that Souter deep down enjoys the action on the Supreme Court. On the other hand, could it be a head fake? No Insider, please.