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Politics and Supreme Court NominationsWhen vacancies occur on the Supreme Court, presidents are presented with an important opportunity to shape policy for years to come. When the position of chief justice is vacant, a president may nominate a sitting member of the Supreme Court or an individual from outside the Supreme Court.The Constitution imposes no qualifications to become a federal judge. Judges do not even have to be lawyers. Because they are such high-profile appointments, nominees to the Court%u00a0have to be considered carefully. Presidents have to balance both legal and political considerations. Experience, ethical integrity, and legal accomplishment are extremely important factors and can help smooth the confirmation process. Modern nominees to the Supreme Court will have typically already served in the federal judiciary or another high-level position.Presidents strive to nominate people who share their judicial philosophies and approach to constitutional interpretation. Political calculations come into play as well. Presidents may make a nomination to fulfill campaign promises or appeal to constituents. For example, Amy Coney Barrett was nominated by President Trump after he promised to nominate justices who oppose abortion, and Ketanji Brown Jackson was nominated after President Biden promised to fill the vacancy with a woman of color. Nominees who are outspoken on contentious political issues are likely to face careful scrutiny and intense questioning by senators.Once justices are confirmed and take their place on the Supreme Court, presidents have no control over their behavior. More than one president has successfully nominated an individual only to be surprised by some of that justice%u2019s later decisions. As you will learn in Section%u00a06.4, controversial Court decisions can lead to debates about the power of the judiciary.This chapter%u2019s main ideas are reflected in the Learning Targets. By reviewing after each section, you should be able to%u2014Remember the key points,%u2014Know terms that are central to the topic, and%u2014Think critically about these questions.6.1 Describe the structure and function of the judiciary and how the life tenure protects its independence and leads to debates over Supreme Court nominations.REMEMBER %u2022 The Constitution contains less detail about the judiciary than about the legislative or executive branches.%u2022 Article III, along with the supremacy clause, establishes the supremacy of the Supreme Court over matters involving the Constitution and federal law.%u2022 The Supreme Court is described in Article III, and it is the highest court in the nation. However, the establishment of lower courts was left to Congress.%u2022 The Constitution also clarified the jurisdiction of the courts%u2014what authority they have to hear and decide on specific cases.%u2022 The Judiciary Act of 1789 allowed Congress to fill in the details about how the court system would be organized.%u2022 All federal judges must be nominated by the president and confirmed by a majority vote in the Senate. Most district court nominees are approved, but the appellate and Supreme Court appointment process can be more contentious.Section Review190 CHAPTER 6 %u2022 The Federal Judiciary%u00a9 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. For review purposes only. Do not distribute.