Senate Judiciary chairman expects Obama’s Supreme Court pick to be on high court by October

October 7th, 2009 Age bias bill responds to Supreme Court rulingWASHINGTON — Democrats want to counter a recent Supreme Court ruling that makes it harder for older workers to prove they are the victims of age discrimination. The Senate Judiciary Committee is hearing testimony Wednesday on a bill that would effectively nullify a high court decision that changed the interpretation of age bias laws.

July 21st, 2009 Judiciary Republicans delay Sotomayor vote 1 weekWASHINGTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee has put off its vote on Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor (SOHN'-ya soh-toh-my-YOR') for one week after Republicans asked for a delay. Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy says the vote will occur on July 28.

July 16th, 2009 Democrats to set first Sotomayor vote next weekWASHINGTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman says he'll set a vote in his panel next week on confirming Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Vermont Democrat Patrick Leahy says the vote will be Tuesday unless committee Republicans object.

July 16th, 2009 Morgenthau praises Sotomayor for high courtWASHINGTON — Veteran New York district attorney Robert Morgenthau is praising one of his former assistants, Sonia Sotomayor, as someone who can be an "outstanding" member of the Supreme Court. Morgenthau told the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday that as an assistant district attorney, Sotomayor understood the importance of every criminal case to the victim.

July 16th, 2009 Sotomayor testimony completedWASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor has completed three days of answering questions before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The panel's top Republican, Jeff Sessions of Alabama, said he expects a Senate floor vote to come before the August recess.

July 14th, 2009 Sotomayor vows to keep open mind in gun casesWASHINGTON — Sonia Sotoymayor is seeking to reassure senators that she would not take any "preconceived notions" about gun rights to the Supreme Court if confirmed as a justice. The 55-year-old Sotomayor told the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday that "one of my Godchildren is a member of the NRA.

July 13th, 2009 Leahy says Sotomayor follows rule of lawWASHINGTON — The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee says Sonia Sotomayor will be a Supreme Court justice who's "committed to the law" and "not to ideology." Describing Sotomayor as an "outstanding" nominee at the start of her Senate confirmation hearing Monday, Sen. Patrick Leahy denounced what he described as efforts to distort Sotomayor's record and views.

July 2nd, 2009 Leahy: GOP planned objection to a high court pickMIDDLESEX, Vt. — The chairman of the Senate's upcoming Supreme Court hearings says Republicans told him they would have objected no matter whom President Barack Obama nominated to the high court.

June 30th, 2009 Franken: 'So thrilled' at Minn. Senate race winMINNEAPOLIS — Democrat Al Franken says he's "so thrilled" to finally be celebrating a victory after nearly eight months of recounts and courtroom fights in Minnesota's Senate race.

June 4th, 2009 Sotomayor's personal assets top $1MWASHINGTON — Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor says her personal assets top $1 million. Her $1.16 million in assets include her Greenwich Village condo, valued at $997,500; a $20,000 stake in another condominium; and about $109,000 in cars and other personal property.

June 1st, 2009 Minn. high court hears Senate case argumentsST. PAUL, Minn. — Republican Norm Coleman is asking the Minnesota Supreme Court to toss out a lower-court ruling that gave Democrat Al Franken a victory in the state's U.S.

May 3rd, 2009 Senators: Look beyond the bench for a new justiceWASHINGTON — Democratic and Republican senators said Sunday they hope President Barack Obama looks beyond the federal bench as he considers a replacement for retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter. Obama said last week he would be looking at potential nominees who have empathy for ordinary Americans.

May 3rd, 2009 Hatch: Is Obama using 'code' for activist judge?WASHINGTON — A senior Republican on the Senate committee that will consider President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee says he's worried the president might pick a judicial activist instead of someone who bases decisions on the law. Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah says Obama's comment last week about naming a justice who understands Americans' problems and has empathy for people is "code" for putting in place a person who legislates from the bench.

May 2nd, 2009 Senate Republicans in flux for high-court hearingsWASHINGTON — The likelihood of contentious Supreme Court confirmation hearings comes at a time of transition for Senate Republicans. Sen. Arlen Specter has been the party's senior member on the Judiciary Committee, which will conduct hearings on President Barack Obama's nominee for the high court.

May 1st, 2009 What comes next: Filling a Supreme Court vacancyWASHINGTON — Now that Justice David Souter has helped solve the mystery of whether anyone would retire from the Supreme Court this year, what's next? How will the executive and legislative branches of government set about filling a vacancy on the nation's highest court? — President Barack Obama will have to nominate a successor after Souter makes his retirement announcement official. Souter is likely to stay on the court through the end of the term in June, and maybe longer if a replacement is not quickly confirmed.