How To Become A Supreme Court Justice In  | Full Step Guide

There are no explicit provisions in the U.S. Constitution for a person to be selected to become a Supreme Court justice. However, there are laid down procedures for becoming a Supreme Court Justice; let’s look at them.

What Are The Qualifications to be a Supreme Court Justice?

Qualifications for Justices, such as age, education, occupation, or citizenship of native birth, are not listed in the Constitution. Although a Justice need not have attended law school or be a practicing attorney, they have all received legal training.

Due to the lack of law schools in the nation during the 18th and 19th centuries, many Justices studied the law with the help of a mentor.

George Washington’s Requirements To Become A Supreme Court Justice

George Washington was the first U.S. President and nominated the most justices to the Supreme Court at 14. However, only 11 of those nominees made it to the court. In addition, Washington named 28 lower court positions.

Here’s George Washington’s requirement to become a Supreme Court Justice:

1. Support and propagation of the U.S. Constitution
2. Outstanding service in the American Revolution
3. Active involvement in the political process of a state or the country as a whole
4. Previous judicial knowledge of lower tribunals
5. You must have a “favorable stature with his fellows” or be personally known to Washington.
6. Geographic suitability—the original Supreme Court were circuit riders.
7. Passionate about the country

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Who Chooses The United States Supreme Court justices?

The president of the United States nominates potential justices for the Supreme Court, which the U.S. Senate must then confirm before being seated. The Constitution does not list any specific qualifications that justice must have. Presidents usually nominate people who share their political and ideological views, but justices are not obligated to reflect the president’s views in their case decisions.

Here’s a rundown of how the US supreme court nomination is made:

1. The president selects an individual for the Supreme Court when an opening occurs.
   1. Typically, the president chooses someone from his or her party.
   2. The president typically chooses a judge who shares his or her judicial philosophies of activism or moderation.
   3. The president might also pick a person from a diverse background to give the court more outstanding balance.
2. Afterward, the Senate endorses the presidential appointment with a majority vote.
   1. The nominee typically appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee before being confirmed by the entire Senate.
   2. Rarely is a nominee for the Supreme Court made to resign. Only 30 of the more than 150 candidates for the Supreme Court have so far declined their nominations, been rejected by the Senate, or had their nominations withdrawn by the nominating president. One candidate was nominated for elevation to Chief Justice.

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How Are Supreme Court Judges Selected?

Based on the selection criteria used by past united states presidents, there are the common yardsticks U.S presidents use to select supreme court justices.

• Political and ideological compatibility 
• Personal friendship
• Objective merit
• Equal representation on the court (by region, race, gender, religion)

Seven Steps to Becoming A U.S. Supreme Court Judge

Here’s a clear rundown of how to become a U.S Supreme Court judge:

1. Consultation

Before announcing a nomination, the President confers with his advisers, including senators, to create a shortlist of potential nominees. Government personnel will examine each possible nominee’s public and private qualifications.

The names of the candidates the President is thinking about for the nomination are not needed to be made public.

There are no time limits on when a position must be filled, or the process must be finished. Following a vacancy, a nominee may be announced immediately, or it may take months. Extraneous factors like political concerns or early notice of a vacancy will influence the speed of this process.

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2. The Senate Judicial committee vets the candidates

The Senate Judiciary Committee scrutinizes a nominee’s credentials once the President nominates them and notifies the Senate. Although this procedural step is not required, it has become common practice since the Civil War.

Senators from both the Democratic and Republican parties make up the Senate Judiciary Committee.

3. The president presents a nomination to the senate

At this point, the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary assesses the nominee before the President formally submits it to the Senate. The committee limits its assessment of a nominee to their professional credentials and does not consider their philosophy or ideology.

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4. The Senate judiciary Committee schedules a hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee will organize a hearing to discuss the nominee’s qualifications. The Committee will gather the data it will take into account while interviewing the nominee ahead of the hearing. Investigations of the candidate’s personal and professional lives are possible.

Additionally, the nominee will prepare for their testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

5. Witnesses and testifiers will be allowed

Witnesses who support and oppose the candidate will testify during the sessions. The Committee’s Senators will be given a chance to hear from the witnesses and query the application about the data gathered. There are no set standards or requirements for the US Supreme Court justices.

When Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist Paper 78 that those chosen to serve must “bine the requisite honesty with the requisite knowledge” to “fit them for the stations of judges,” he established the historical expectation that judges will act impartially and with integrity.

There is a tradition of expecting nominees to have exceptional legal credentials, as demonstrated by time spent as judges of inferior courts, legal study, and reputable private practice.

Although having a law degree is not a requirement for Supreme Court justices, all judges have had one up to this point.

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6. The senate committee makes a decision

After hearings, the Senate Judiciary Committee members vote on the nomination. They have three choices: accept, reject, or don’t recommend. Their selection is forwarded to the full Senate for discussion.

7. The full senate debates and votes

According to Senate Rules, the nominee is discussed by the entire Senate. Currently, a simple majority vote (51 to 49) is required to finish the debate and call the question. (In April 2017, the Senate ended the use of the tactic known as filibustering, which allowed for indefinite discussion on the floor and was frequently used by the minority party to postpone or thwart votes on initiatives, including nominations for the Supreme Court.

To formally end the discussion, 60 senators, or a 2/3rds majority, had to vote in favor of cloture.

At the end of the debate, the senate votes on the candidate. For a nomination to be confirmed, a simple majority of the senators who are present and voting is required. The Vice President casts the deciding ballot in the event of a tie.

What Makes A Good Judge?

Several people have tried to develop a list of qualities that make a great federal judge, primarily by looking at the court’s history. According to the American scholar Sheldon Goldman, here are the eight criteria that qualify a good judge:

1. Neutrality during litigation 
2. Fair-mindedness 
3. Knowledge of the law
4. The ability to think and document logically and clearly
5. Individual integrity
6. A judge must be in good physical and mental shape.
7. Judicial temperament 
8. Must wield judicial power sensibly

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How Long Does It Take The Senate To Approve A Supreme Court Judge?

The Senate Judiciary Committee’s data show that it typically takes two and a half months for a nominee to receive a complete vote.

Before 1981, the Senate usually moved quickly. Justices were routinely confirmed within a month after their nomination during the administrations of Presidents Harry Truman through Richard Nixon. The procedure has lengthened significantly from the Ronald Reagan administration until the present.

Can A Supreme Court Justice Be Removed?

Justices “must maintain their Offices during good Behaviour,” according to the Constitution. As a result, the Justices are not subject to term limits and can only be removed from their positions by impeachment.

How Long Does it Take to Become a Lawyer in the USA?

Seven years of schooling are necessary for the US to become a lawyer. This is divided into four-year undergraduate and three-year law school degrees.

First and foremost, you must graduate from an approved institution or college with an undergraduate degree. Whatever field of study you choose for your bachelor’s degree is irrelevant. However, ensure that the classes you took for your bachelor’s degree in Public Speaking, English, History, Economics, Government, and Mathematics are included.

Second, you must enroll in law school. However, you must get admitted to law school to do this (LSAT). You’ll study constitutional law, contracts, property law, civil procedure, and legal writing during your three years of law school at an ABA-accredited institution.

Lastly, you must take the Bar Exam in your state or the state where you plan to practice law. It will take you two to three months to prepare for the bar exam and another few months to wait for the results, but overall, it usually takes less than a year.

Formal admission to the bar is required after completing the bar exam. This requires passing the fitness and character test given by the bar association in your state. Depending on how clean your past is, this could take a few months.

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FAQs On How To Become A Supreme Court Justice

Conclusion

The federal government’s judicial branch is headed by the Supreme Court of the United States, the nation’s highest court. It is frequently referred to as SCOTUS.

I hope this article on how to become a supreme court justice in the US satisfies your search intent.

References

• supremecourt.gov
• thoughtco.com – What Are the Requirements to Become a Supreme Court Justice?
• thoughtco.com – How Are Supreme Court Justices Selected?
• library.law.hawaii.edu – Seven Steps to the U.S. Supreme Court: A quick look at the nomination process

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