Judges and Justices
The Constitution sets no special requirements for judges or justices, but most observers conclude that the federal judiciary comprises a distinguished group of men and women. Competence and ethical behavior are important, but these qualifications still leave a wide field from which the President can choose. The judges currently serving on the federal district courts, circuit courts, and Supreme Court are not a representative sample of the American people.
Federal judges have typically held office as a judge or prosecutor, and often they have been involved in partisan politics. This involvement is generally what brings them the attention of senators and the Department of Justice when they seek nominees for judgeship, but ideology is just as important as partisanship in the selection of judges and justices. Women and people of different ethnicities and religions may desire to have people in their group appointed to the federal bench, but it is questionable as to whether or not any policy differences result. |