For SCOTUS hopefuls, youth is a virtue
No matter who occupies the White House when the next Supreme Court vacancy arises, one thing is for sure: the Court will get younger.
A new ABA Journal magazine piece points out that while Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was 60 when she was nominated back in 1993, nowadays presidents in both parties rank youth high among the qualities they seek in a nominee. A justice whose tenure long outlasts a presidential administration can leave an indelible mark on the Court.
And the focus on youth spells bad news for potential nominees who have found themselves on Supreme short lists in the past. “If you’ve been on the [potential nominees] list already, you are unlikely to still be on that list” when the next seat comes open, said University of California at Los Angeles law professor Adam Winkler.
