Senate Confirms Kagan

Elena Kagan is on the verge of becoming the 112th justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, after three months of sparring over her legal experience and where she falls on the ideological spectrum. Senators voted 63-37 on Thursday to confirm Kagan. All Democrats but one voted for her, while all Republicans but five opposed her. Kagan is scheduled to be sworn in at the Supreme Court on Saturday so that she can begin her new job quickly. A larger swearing-in ceremony and celebration may be scheduled for a later date. Her confirmation means the Court, for the first time in its history, will have three female members, a point that Democratic female senators noted with pride during a three-day debate. It also means that, for the first time since William Rehnquist was confirmed in 1971, a justice will be joining the Court without prior judicial experience. Check NLJ.com later for more coverage.

Comments

[Sam Sammurai]

We have no problems with Judges from all denomination, but 3 Jewish Justices, and no Chinese, no Muslim, No Atheist is a way to say that if u r Jewish Congress will approve u regardless of qualification. If u r Muslim they will not approve u regardless of qualification.
So get ready for Muslims to be screwed further!

[Brian]

Justice Marshall served for a short time on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

[Angela Moore]

Many people think Supreme Court Justices must have played in the minor leagues before sitting on the high court. I disagree. Especially in federal court. It is important to have different perspectives represented on the court. People actually criticized Sandra day O'Connor because she was an elected State court judge and not a federal judge. If memory serves me correctly, Thurgood Marshall did not serve as a judge, but argued the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education. Many good judges come from other places besides the DC circuit.