Who Will Trump Appoint to Supreme Court? Northwestern Law Review Lists Likely Candidates

Arguably one of the most dramatic and lasting impacts President-elect Donald Trump could leave on the nation is who he appoints to the Supreme Court.

Whoever Trump appoints will be in a position to interpret and shape the Constitution for years to come as there are no term limits for Supreme Court justices. The Northwestern Law Review Online has begun curating a list of opinions and written work from Trump's proposed nominees for the Supreme Court, according to its website.

“The subject matter of the opinions contained within range from First Amendment issues to state law tort claims,” the Review’s website reads. “Whether in dissent or holding a majority, the opinions offer a window into the legal analysis and judicial decision making favored by the Republican Presidential Nominee.”

When he assumes office in January, Trump will inherit the Supreme Court vacancy left after the death Justice Antonin Scalia, which President Obama vied to fill with federal appeals court judge Merrick Garland. Additionally, three other judges are in either their late 70s or early 80s. Given their ages, Trump could potentially be called on to fill more than Scalia's vacancy.

As Politico’s Jeffrey Rosen reports, the president-elect will need to be careful in deciding who he will appoint, as the decision could prompt checks on executive powers he hopes to wield to accomplish sweeping policy changes promised during his campaign.

“Senate Republicans would balk at any wild cards sent over by President Trump, making it more likely that he will stick with one of his original names,” Rosen writes. “In all likelihood, those conservative constitutionalist judges would impose at least some limits on congressional and executive actions.”

The Northwestern Law Review Online will continue to update the list through Inauguration Day, the publication says.

Here are the proposed candidates as of Wednesday, Nov. 16.

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