Appointment and Nomination of Supreme Court Justices

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Seminar paper from the year 2002 in the subject American Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, grade: 1,0 / A, University of Kassel, course: Amerikanische Entwicklung im Spiegel ausgewählter Entscheidungen des Supreme Court, language: English, abstract: Equal Justice Under Law this inscription is written above the main entrance of theSupreme Court building, proclaiming that every case and individual will be judged accordingto the same principles. Members of the court have the duty to come to a decision, which isfree of personal and also political influences, a task that requires numerous virtues, amongthem independence, incorruptibility, and the self-confidence to apply new methods that mightalter the country. Accordingly, the work of a Supreme Court justices makes high demands ona person and it is doubtful that any judge would be able to fulfill them. Yet from which pointof view are these extraordinary individuals selected? And who has a right of codeterminationin the appointment process? Since the Supreme Court is a major policy maker in the U.S, theappointments of the justices have a great impact on the future of the country. Consequently,the nominations are fundamental to a number of people, organizations and interest groups, aspossible future decisions of the tribunal might transform society and American life.This paper will investigate the selection and nomination process of Supreme Courtjustices and the factors playing a role in the background. Beginning with an historical overview,we will take a closer look at the legal foundation and the early stages of the newestablishedcourt. The second part attends to the qualification of justices and their ensuingappointment, also taking into consideration the various demographic factors that mightinfluence a selection nowadays. Subsequently, the focus will be on interest groups and othersociety-relevant organizations, which take an interest in the tribunal and concentrate theirattentio n on the selection of justices who are of importance to them. Finally, the thesis will gointo the role presidents play in the selection procedure and to conclude I will summarize theresults that follow from this work.

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