Actually, it would be the Washington administration with Justices Rutledge, Jay, Wilson, and Paterson. But, of course, at the birth of the nation, most folks with judicial experience had been appointed to the bench by and served under the crown, so no surprise that Washington went elsewhere.
But the practice continues from Washington forward. Nixon is certainly not unique but stands in a long line of his immediate predecessors.
And seven justices were plucked directly from private practice, not from other government posts.
For the record, I'm not sold on Miers, not because of her lack of judicial experience but because I'm not at all happy with how the Texas state lottery has ever been handled, and she was once in charge of it. (Funny how the lotto was supposed to fix our school finance issue. Funny, but no one in Texas is laughing about it these days.)
I agree, John. This is a very disappointing nomination. It tells any well-qualified conservative federal district or appellate court judge that there is now a glass ceiling blocking the possibility of promotion to the Supreme Court. One that can only by broken by those with no judicial experience and no public utterances on the important Constitutional issues of the day. What a cop-out.
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If memory serves, that would be the Nixon administration, William Rehnquist.
Actually, it would be the Washington administration with Justices Rutledge, Jay, Wilson, and Paterson. But, of course, at the birth of the nation, most folks with judicial experience had been appointed to the bench by and served under the crown, so no surprise that Washington went elsewhere.
But the practice continues from Washington forward. Nixon is certainly not unique but stands in a long line of his immediate predecessors.
And seven justices were plucked directly from private practice, not from other government posts.
Check it out
For the record, I'm not sold on Miers, not because of her lack of judicial experience but because I'm not at all happy with how the Texas state lottery has ever been handled, and she was once in charge of it. (Funny how the lotto was supposed to fix our school finance issue. Funny, but no one in Texas is laughing about it these days.)
If I remember correctly, Rehnquist was already a distinguished federal prosecutor and private attorney.
What does Bush say when he wants to brag about Meirs' qualifications? That she was on the state lottery commission.
Pathetic.
I agree, John. This is a very disappointing nomination. It tells any well-qualified conservative federal district or appellate court judge that there is now a glass ceiling blocking the possibility of promotion to the Supreme Court. One that can only by broken by those with no judicial experience and no public utterances on the important Constitutional issues of the day. What a cop-out.
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