The Judicial Bookshelf

Vacancies, therefore, are not only infrequent but occur intermittently. [...]upon taking the oath of office, no new president is guaranteed the opportunity to fill a seat on the Court. [...]partisanship has long played a role in the arrival of new justices. According to Charles Warren, the selection of a chief justice “was by far the most important and had given to the President the greatest concern. [...]Dillon incorporates detail of “Jay’s life, upbringing, education, politics, loyalties, career advancement, national service, and an understanding of what proverbially ‘made him tick.’”