An End – And a Beginning

So it’s finally here.  After nearly eight years, and more than four hundred nominee profiles, it’s time to close the final chapter on the Vetting Room.  When I first started the Vetting Room eight years ago, I wrote my hopes that this blog would be a way to “inform the general public about candidates for the federal bench.”  I think we’ve succeeded in doing that.  I also hoped that, by providing “disinterested” commentary (in the sense that we’re not advocating for or against individual nominees), the Vetting Room could be a part of de-escalating confirmation tensions and supporting an apolitical judiciary.

Reflecting back, there is much to be proud of.  I never expected that a small legal blog started by a nobody with some assistance from his friends and associates would become one of the most widely searched resources on judicial nominees.  Furthermore, I’ve received messages of praise and support from prominent liberals and conservatives who have praised the tone and content of our write-ups.  Similarly, I’ve fielded angry messages and comments both from folks convinced that we’re secretly suppressing unfavorable information on nominees and from those accusing us of writing hit pieces, in one case, addressing a single article.  Needless to say, we must be doing something right.

I’m also thankful for all the support we’ve gotten, not just from the amazing attorneys who wrote for us, but also from attorneys and law students who helped with research, and from fellow legal bloggers and lawyers who shared, retweeted and commented on our posts.  I would note that Howard Bashman of How Appealing has been particularly generous with sharing our write-ups and with his support.

Given all this, one might wonder why the Vetting Room is shuttering.  Especially with an incoming Administration that is likely to push to reshape the judiciary in a more conservative direction, and likely to be the source of dozens, if not hundreds, of posts.  Well, see, that’s the thing.

Writing and managing a legal blog is not cost-less. Several hours of research, wordsmithing, and analysis go into each post, not just in how to frame each nominee’s background, but also in determining what information should or should not be included. Time spent here is time not spent with my family, or pursuing other passions and interests. Having kept up with the blog through four years of a Republican President and four years of a Democratic President, now seems like the right time to move on.

The Vetting Room is not being taken down, and the posts that are here will stay on (at least for the near future).  As time dictates, additional posts detailing the history of the judiciary (some of my favorite writing but ones I’ve had trouble keeping up with) may be added.

This is not to say that it is time to disengage from judicial nominations entirely. Our founding fathers intended for the confirmation process to include public review and input. In the end, all Americans have an interest in having a Judiciary that decides based on the rule of law, rather than ideology or partisanship. And I expect that vigilance in the process will not cease.

Perhaps, if other interested attorneys come forward who would want to carry the mantle for an apolitical judiciary, the Vetting Room may revive as such. Until then, I thank all the readers this blog has maintained for their support and encouragement, and hope that, in our own way, we’ve had a positive impact on the judicial nomination discourse.

1,269 Comments

  1. Dequan's avatar

    Two Republican woman have announced they are retiring, not for reelection next years. Wyoming Senator Lummis is one. She’s probably the most pro crypto Senator out of all 100. 

    New York Rep. Elise Stefanik has withdrawn from the New York governors race & also announced she won’t run for reelection to the House. This is great news for governor Hochul who I have repeatedly said is my least favorite Democrat governor & I would support almost anybody primarily het if I still lived in New York. I was afraid she was vulnerable against Stefanik so this is definitely good news for Democrats. 

    Like

    • shawnee68's avatar

      I cannot see a scenario where a Republican could unseat a Democrat in a statewide office such as Governor.

      According to the polls, Stefanik was 19% behind Hochul. I don’t live in New York but I have not heard anything to make me believe that a Republican like Stefanik could defeat Hochul.

      The only only entity that could defeat Hochul are Democrat’s themselves. Something like that would not surprise me.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Scott Royce's avatar

      The major negative thing I turned up on him was that, as Judicial Nominations Watch argues, because he would serve in “the same district where he spent his entire prosecutorial career” it “raises…concerns about his ability to maintain appropriate distance from former colleagues in the U.S. Attorney’s Office who will regularly appear before him.” Criminal defendants, beware. In addition, he has very little civil case experience.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Dequan's avatar

    I tried to include the links but it will not post with the links. I’ll just send what I wrote without the links. You can go to Bloomberg Law if you want to see the link…

    Looks like John Guard, a Trump district court judicial nominee who’s being blocked by Senator Scott, has a plan B. He is one of ten individuals who applied for the Florida Supreme Court vacancy… 

    Like

  5. Mike S.'s avatar

    That’s hilarious about Professor Tobias. I think he should have just stuck to judicial nominations haha

    For anyone keeping score at home, the three DC Superior Court nominees pending were confirmed last week. I do not believe any of them were controversial.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. raylodato's avatar

    I don’t know why people are dunking on Carl Tobias, but I have to put in a good word. When I first got interested in judicial nominations, I contacted him and he was very gracious with his time and thoughts. He even helped me get published on this topic, which is not my area of expertise.

    Basically, there are about a half dozen academics who specialize in judicial nominations, and while it’s good to spread the love a little, I think you’ll get largely the same output from Russ Wheeler and others.

    Liked by 2 people

  7. Dequan's avatar

    Tonight I had the pleasure of briefly meeting Maryland Governor Wes Moore as he & his family flew out of the Miami airport tonight. With Governor Murphy on the way out of office, Moore may be my new favorite governor along with governor Shapiro. I believe Moore ruled out a 2028 presidential run but I truly hope he rethinks that because he would be phenomenal. 

    Liked by 1 person

  8. 39wimpyclues's avatar

    Judge orders special elections for Mississippi Supreme Court : NPR

    So glad Mississippi’s highest court is finally getting fairer maps. Can’t believe even state supreme courts get gerrymandered but that’s the US for you

    Anyway, if those fairer maps get implemented, at least the court’s partisan composition will now be a 6-3 conservative supermajority. Still bad but better than its current 8-1 conservative supermajority. Hopefully, Jenifer Branning gets voted out because she should’ve never won in the first place

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Ryan J's avatar

    Apparently Privmaman’s birthdate removal campaign is actually legit. I read an article about the threats against federal judges, particularly those who have ruled against the orange man. Their addresses and most of the protected info (bank acct, personal phone number, license plate) honestly do need to be kept private, and while I don’t agree with removal of their birthdays, I can understand why judges might want that to remain hidden. After studying his edits, I think Privmaman is actually telling the truth when he claims judges are personally contacting him requesting their birthdates be removed from Wikipedia. And I can always look in the edit history if I forget a judge’s bday.

    Click to access Daniel-Anderl-Judicial-Security-and-Privacy-Act-removal-of-PII.pdf

    Liked by 1 person

  15. 39wimpyclues's avatar

    Happy New Year everyone!!! I hope all of us have a splendid year full of success and no big troubles

    The only thing I’m wishing for this year is that no more judicial vacancies especially in Circuit Courts and the Supreme Court

    I’m anticipating Mrs. Erin Hawley being Judge Benton’s successor to the 8th Circuit, but fingers crossed on Alito and Thomas stubbornly staying to their seats until the Dems get a Senate majority again

    Liked by 3 people

    • Mike's avatar

      Looking over the Demand Justice and Alliance for Justice posts about him, he seems like a very generic GOP nominee. Only caveat for all of them now is not answering questions about 2020 election and Jan 6.

      Looking over Trump 1.0 district confirmations, I’m shocked how many blue/purple state confirmations Dems gave him. These are just the bigger ones that caught my eye. Props to Menendez and Booker for not giving up a single NJ seat.

      VA (4), CA (5), OH (7), IL (8), NY (9), PA (14).

      Biden got OH (4), FL (4), TX (3), LA (3), IN (3).

      Liked by 2 people

  21. derickjohnson's avatar

    According to his page on X, Trump is nominating Anna St. John to serve as Judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

    John Shepherd to serve as Judge to the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas

    Chris Wolfe to serve as Judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas.

    Andrew Davis to serve as Judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Mitch's avatar

      @derickjohnson

      Good find. I have some brief bios:

      John Shepherd: currently a Union County District Court Judge, formerly an ADA for Union County. Also a former college football player.

      Christopher Wolfe: currently a Tarrant County District Court Judge, formerly a longtime AUSA and former branch manager at the Tarrant County office. I’m surprised he’s been nominated for the Western District of Texas.

      Andrew Davis: former Chief Counsel to Senator Ted Cruz, former state Assistant Solicitor General. Currently a partner at Lehotsky Keller Cohn in Austin, Texas.

      Anna St. John: currently General Counsel for the Hamilton Lincoln Law Institute, former associate at Covington & Burling LLP at the Washington D.C. office.

      Liked by 2 people

  22. Mike S.'s avatar

    John Shepherd is the younger son of 8th Circ. Judge Bobby Shepherd (per Twitter’s John Doe). Seems like an incentive offered for the elder Shepherd to take senior status, no?

    It’s interesting how few of Trump’s nominees have been women, especially in 2026.

    Liked by 1 person

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