As a reference for when Judge Sotomayor’s nomination hearings and Senate vote might occur, here’s a time line of the confirmation process for the four most recently appointed Supreme Court Justices. Over the past 30 years, the average duration between nomination and confirmation has been 72 days; Justice Ginsburg was confirmed only 50 days after her nomination by President Clinton.
Justice Samuel A. Alito
Nomination to Replace Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Announced: October 31, 2005
Nomination Received in the Senate and Referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary: November 10, 2005
Hearings Held by Judiciary Committee: January 9-January 13, 2006
Placed on Senate Executive Calendar: January 24, 2006
Considered by Senate: January 25, 2006 – January 30, 2006
Cloture motion presented in Senate: January 26, 2006
Vote on motion to invoke cloture: January 27, 2006
Cloture invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote: January 30, 2006, vote of 72 – 25
Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote: January 31, 2006, vote of 58 – 42
Chief Justice John G. Roberts
Nomination to Replace Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Announced: July 19, 2005
Nomination Received in the Senate and Referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary: July 29, 2005
Nomination Withdrawn: September 6, 2005
Nomination to Replace Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist Received: September 6, 2005
Hearings Held by Judiciary Committee : September 12-September 15, 2005
Placed on Senate Executive Calendar: September 22, 2005
Considered by Senate: September 22, 2005- September 28, 2005
Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote: September 29, 2005, vote of 78 – 22
Justice Stephen G. Breyer
Nomination to Replace Justice Harry A. Blackmun Announced: May 13, 1994
Nomination Received in the Senate and Referred to the Committee on Judiciary: May 17, 1994
Hearings Held by Judiciary Committee : July 12-July 14, 1994
Placed on Senate Executive Calendar: July 25, 1994
Considered by Senate: July 29, 1994
Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote: July 29, 1994, vote of 87-9
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Nomination to Replace Justice Byron R. White Announced: June 14, 1993
Nomination Received in the Senate and Referred to the Committee on Judiciary: June 22, 1993
Hearings Held by Judiciary Committee: July 20-July 23, 1993
Placed on Senate Executive Calendar: July 29, 1993
Considered by Senate: August 02, 1993
Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote: August 03, 1993, vote of 96-3