Who will replace Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer?
THE US Supreme Court is made up of nine justices: one chief justice and eight associate justices.
As current Justice Stephen Breyer prepares to be stepping down for retirement, a new seat was opened for President Joe Biden to appoint.
On April 7, 2022, the Senate voted 53 to 47 to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as the 116th Supreme Court justice.
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President Biden took to Twitter to comment on the historical confirmation.
"Judge Jackson’s confirmation was a historic moment for our nation. We’ve taken another step toward making our highest court reflect the diversity of America. She will be an incredible Justice, and I was honored to share this moment with her."
All 50 Senate Democrats, including the two independents who caucus with them, voted for her confirmation.
Republican senators Mitt Romney of Utah, Susan Collins of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska also voted for the confirmation.
Prior to her confirmation some of the to replace Beyer included:
- California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger, 45 years old
- South Carolina US District Court Judge J. Michelle Childs, 55 years old
A few other names that had circulated also included:
- District Judge Wilhelmina "Mimi" Wright, of Minnesota
- Circuit Judge Eunice Lee, of New York
- Circuit Judge Candace Jackson-Akiwumi, of Chicago
- Sherrilyn Ifill, President, and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.
When will President Joe Biden appoint Breyer's replacement?
The process took a few months for Biden to appoint the next Supreme Court Justice.
"It typically takes two to three months for a President to see his nominee confirmed by the Senate once he or she is named," St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote.
Brown Jackson went on to clerk for Justice Breyer after graduating from Harvard Law School in 1996
On June 29, 2022, Breyer delivered a letter to President Biden announcing that he will officially retire at noon on June 30, 2022.
In the letter, Breyer wrote: "It has been my great honor to participate as a judge in the effort to maintain our Constitution and the Rule of Law."
He said that Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is prepared to "take the prescribed oaths" to begin her service as the 116th member of the court.
Judge Jackson is expected to be sworn in at noon on June 30 by Chief Justice John Roberts, who will administer the Constitutional Oath.
What are people saying about Breyer's retirement?
Breyer is expected to stay on the court until the summer of 2022.
The justice informed Biden of his plans to retire in mid-January before the decision became public.
Some people took to social media to express their thoughts on Breyer's plans.
"Mitch McConnell will find a way to block Biden’s pick somehow," one user wrote.
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Another user wondered about the Republicans' thoughts on the timeline of the appointment.
";Wonder if the Republicans will think that nearly 3 years before the presidential election is too close for a new nomination."