Tom Jipping, of the Judicial Selection Monitoring Project at the Free Congress Foundation, said one name being tossed about for nomination to the Court is Michael Luttig. He said Luttig would meet President Bush's expressed desire for someone who avoids judicial activism. Another name getting attention is White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales. Texas attorney Kelly Shackelford is concerned about that nomination. Shackelford, who heads the Liberty Legal Institute, said Gonzales spent about a year on the Texas Supreme Court.
Experts agree everything from the retirements to the possible candidates is highly speculative.
But they also agree it is time to prepare for those possibilities. In addition to Supreme Court vacancies, President Bush will soon be selecting judges for the 94 existing open spots on lower federal court benches. As many as 20 judicial nominees could be named early next month, all of which must be confirmed by the Senate. You can receive family news stories by email. Sign up now for this complimentary service.