Miers waits for Supreme Court confirmation vote
Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers will have to go through several steps, including a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, to be confirmed as a Supreme Court justice.By The Associated Press
Oct. 3 -- President Bush's selection of Harriet Miers on Monday begins the nomination process for her Supreme Court candidacy. Here are some steps she will have to go through before the Senate takes a final vote on her nomination, and the average time it took the last 10 Supreme Court nominees to take those steps (excluding Chief Justice John Roberts.)
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., right, follows Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers as they walk out of his office to meet members of the press on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Bush nominated Miers to the Supreme Court to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)- On average, it takes 72 days from announcement of a Supreme Court nomination to a final vote in the Senate. Roberts matched the average exactly, going from his July 19 nomination announcement to be an associate justice to Senate confirmation as chief justice on Sept. 29.
If Miers matches the average, her confirmation vote would occur Dec. 14. - For the last 10 Supreme Court nominations, excluding John Roberts, it took an average of 39 days to go from nomination announcement to Senate Judiciary Committee hearings. If the Senate goes with the average, Miers' hearing would start in mid-November. There were 55 days between Roberts' first nomination announcement and his hearing. His original nomination as associate justice was rescinded and he was renominated as chief justice after William H. Rehnquist died. - Senate Judiciary Committee hearings averaged five days for the last 10 nominations. Roberts' hearing lasted four days. - Senate Judiciary Committee votes, on average, 10 days after a Supreme Court nominee's hearings conclude. The committee voted on Roberts seven days after the hearings ended. - On average, it takes 14 days after that committee vote for the Senate to debate and give a final vote on a Supreme Court nominee. The Senate completed its Roberts debate and voted on Roberts seven days after the committee vote.Story Produced by: Lindsey N. Kirkland
