Judicial Merit Quotes

Judge Kavanaugh has an exemplary record of service to the judiciary and the rule of law.

That no man, or set of men, are entitled to exclusive or separate emoluments or privileges from the community, but in consideration of public services; which, not being descendible, neither ought the offices of magistrate, legislator, or judge to be hereditary.

Do not use a litmus test in the appointment of judges. Just get good judges.

Candidly, Justice Thomas, I do not believe that you were indeed the most competent person to be on the Supreme Court.

Nobody is entitled to a promotion to the Supreme Court.

One is entitled to say without qualification that the correlation between prior judicial experience and fitness for the Supreme Court is zero.

(Commenting on the qualifications of Daniel A. Manion for a Federal judgeship:) His academic distinction and scholarship are similar to my own, and I wouldn't put me on the bench.

There are a lot of mediocre judges and people and lawyers, and they are entitled to a little representation [on the Supreme Court], aren't they? We can't have all Brandeises, Frankfurters, and Cardozos and stuff like that.

I find it hard to believe that Senators or the American public will classify Sotomayor as unqualified, particularly given the thin credentials of many of our eighteenth and nineteenth century Supreme Court Justices.

There are a lot of wonderful people in America who shouldn't be on the Supreme Court - and a lot who should be on the court who aren't such wonderful people.