How Are Supreme Court Justices Selected and Approved?


U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy will retire July 31. Kennedy, 81, made the announcement Wednesday, delivering his letter of resignation to President Donald Trump.

“We’re going to pick ourselves one great United States Supreme Court Justice,” President Donald Trump said to a crowd Thursday in Milwaukee.  

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But what exactly is the process of selecting and seating Kennedy's replacement?  

Joining us to explain the process are Michael Scodro, a partner at Mayer Brown who clerked for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor; and Carolyn Shapiro, who clerked for Justice Stephen Breyer in 1996 and 1997. She is an associate professor of law at IIT's Chicago-Kent College of Law where she is also the co-director of the Institute on the Supreme Court of the United States. 


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