Outside the Beltway

By popular demand . . .

A good excuse to consider reform.

In what amounts to a significant, albeit not surprising, change in Catholic doctrine, Pope Francis has declared that the death penalty is unacceptable in all circumstances.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says she’d like to stay on the Court at least until she turns 90, but it’s unlikely she’ll go anywhere voluntarily as long as Donald Trump is President.

There are good arguments as to why progressive Senators should vote against his confirmation. Let’s stick to those.

A selection that is likely to keep the Senate GOP united and red-state Democrats up for re-election under pressure to vote to confirm.

Democrats are making largely meaningless appeals to the so-called ‘Merrick Garland Precedent” to argue for a delay in confirming the President’s next Supreme Court nominee. The American people feel differently.

A thoughtful liberal argues the Justice has “altered and destroyed his legacy” by allowing Donald Trump to appoint his successor.

President Trump’s short list of potential Supreme Court nominees consists mostly of conventionally conservative, well-qualified, jurists.

Contrary to what many people have claimed, the Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v. Hawaii did not overturn one of the most controversial decisions in its history.

The unconscionable violation of norms in 2016 won’t apply in 2018; it’s a matter of power, not principle.

After thirty years on the bench, during which he played a central role in some of the Supreme Court’s most significant rulings, Justice Anthony Kennedy is retiring.

In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that public sector unions cannot force employees to pay membership fees.

With two more weeks to go, there are plenty of “big” cases still awaiting the release of a decision.

Some legal scholars are speculating that the Court’s ruling in Masterpiece Cakeshop could impact the ruling on the President’s Muslim Travel Ban. This seems unlikely.

How far should judicial confirmation hearings go in asking potential Judges and Justices their opinions about issues that may come before them?

With one month to go in its term, there’s still a lot on the Supreme Court’s plate.

The Supreme Court has declined to accept yet another Second Amendment case for review, continuing a streak that goes back some eight years.

With the end of the Supreme Court term approaching, speculation about a Kennedy retirement is ramping up again.

General (Retired) Michael Hayden has some harsh, and concerning, criticisms of the Trump administration.

Mississippi has passed a law that seems designed to directly challenge the underpinnings of Roe v. Wade.

Within hours after the new Florida gun law was signed by Governor Rick Scott, the National Rifle Association had filed a lawsuit seeking to strike it down.

Once again, there’s speculation in Washington that Justice Anthony Kennedy could retire this year.

A group of twenty states have revived an old argument to mount a new legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act.

After yesterday’s oral argument, the Supreme Court seems poised to deal a major blow to public-sector unions.

Tomorrow, the Supreme Court will hear oral argument in a case that could prove crippling to public employee unions across the nation.

Since the Supreme Court handed down its decision in District of Columbia v. Heller four separate Federal appellate courts have ruled that state and local laws banning “assault weapons” do not violate the Second Amendment.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg is making it clear she has no intention of leaving office before the 2020 election.

Report that President Trump considered withdrawing the Gorsuch nomination are another sign of his unhealthy obsession with pledges of loyalty from people who have no business giving it to him.

Donald Trump has been President 300 days and the record reveals no real accomplishments and increased dissatisfaction with the job he’s doing.

Previewing the next term of the Supreme Court, which starts today.

In its upcoming term, the Supreme Court will hear a case that is likely to have a significant impact on the powers of public-sector unions.

The Senate appears ready to get rid of another procedural move designed to block judicial nominees.

One of the legal giants in the Federal Judiciary has retired from the bench.

Chicago is joining the growing list of jurisdictions challenging the Administration’s policy on sanctuary cities.

Justice Kennedy is telling prospective law clerks for the term that beings in October 2018 that he is considering retiring at the end of the term that begins this October.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear its first case on partisan gerrymandering in more than ten years, but opponents of the practice shouldn’t start celebrating just yet.

As he nears the end of his first 100 days in office, President Trump continues to suffer from bad poll numbers.

The Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee is hinting at a new Supreme Court vacancy this summer.

Judge Gorsuch is now Justice Gorsuch and it’s time to hit the ground running.

When life terms means almost three decades on the bench, fights will be fierce.

After a prolonged vacancy and a bitterly partisan confirmation process, Neil Gorsuch has been confirmed to succeed Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court of the United States.

As expected, Senate Republicans invoked the so-called ‘nuclear option’ to move the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch forward to a final vote on Friday.

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch even as it became inevitable that Republicans would be forced to invoke the ‘nuclear option’ to confirm him to the Supreme Court.

The ordinary and the extraordinary with the latest SCOTUS nomination.

Next week’s big news is likely to be the Senate’s vote to confirm Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, which could mean invocation of the so-called ‘nuclear option’ by Senate Republicans.

Let the games begin.

Day One of the questioning of Judge Neil Gorsuch went very well, and it suggests that his path to confirmation is basically clear of serious obstacles.