Gavel Grab: News Roundup

TRUMP WILL USE SAME SCOTUS SHORTLIST FOR NEXT VACANCY: President Trump told The Washington Times he will be using the same list of candidates for any future Supreme Court vacancies that he used to select Justice Neil Gorsuch. The list of 21 potential Supreme Court nominees was significantly influenced by the Federalist Society and The Heritage Foundation.

EXPERTS SAY BREAKING UP THE 9TH CIRCUIT WON’T BENEFIT TRUMP: President Trump has said he’s considering breaking up the 9th Circuit in an attempt to end “judge shopping.” The president has claimed that when people want a ruling against him, “Everybody immediately runs to the 9th Circuit.” However, lawyers of all political ideologies “forum shop” across the country, reported The Washington Examiner.

In comments to the Examiner, Daniel Goldberg, legal director at our sister organization Alliance for Justice, said Trump would have a difficult time accomplishing that task. “I’m not sure the president realizes that he doesn’t have the unilateral authority to break up the 9th Circuit,” Dan noted.

Even if Trump broke up the 9th Circuit, legal experts of diverse political ideologies agree that that would not necessarily achieve Trump’s desire to stop forum shopping. “You can do a lot in terms of forum shopping by going to district courts, and breaking up a circuit makes no difference in that process,” said Caroline Frederickson, president of the American Constitution Society.