Number: RL31989
Title: Supreme Court Appointment Process: Roles of the President, Judiciary Committee, and Senate
Authors: Denis Steven Rutkus, Government and Finance Division 
Abstract: The procedure for appointing a Justice is provided for by the Constitution in only a few words. The Appointments Clause (Article II, Section 2, clause 2) states that the President shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appointJudges of the supreme Court. The process has undergone changes over two centuries, but its most basic featurethe sharing of power between the President and Senatehas remained unchanged: To receive lifetime appointment by the Court, a candidate must first be nominated by the President and then confirmed by the Senate. Although not mentioned in the Constitution, an important role is played midway in the process (after the President selects, but before the Senate considers) by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Pages: 71
Date: March 20, 2008