7th Circuit nominees set for committee vote

The nominations of Michael Scudder, Jr., and Judge Amy St. Eve, the Illinois nominees for the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals, are scheduled for a vote by the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary on Thursday. If approved by the committee, the pair will go on to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.

Since this will be the first time the committee has put Scudder and St. Eve on the agenda for a vote, Democrats could ask for a delay, as they have with past nominees, which would hold the process for one week. The nominees have the support of Illinois Sens. Richard Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, both Democrats, and did not encounter much opposition at their confirmation hearing.

Scudder, a partner at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP in Chicago, and St. Eve, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, would fill the seats vacated by the retirements of Richard Posner and Ann Claire Williams in 2017.  

With Scudder and St. Eve, the White House is close to filling the remaining vacancies on the 7^th Circuit.

Already Amy Coney Barrett, former full-time professor at Notre Dame Law School, was confirmed by a 55-43 vote for the seat formerly held by Judge John Tinder. Also, Michael Brennan, former Wisconsin state court judge, has been approved by the Judiciary Committee and is now awaiting a confirmation vote by the full Senate. If confirmed, he will fill the seat of Judge Terence Evans, which has been open since January 2010.

In addition to Scudder and St. Eve, the committee is scheduled to vote on John Nalbandian, nominee to the 6^th Circuit Court of Appeals and Joseph Hunt, nominee for assistant attorney general of the civil division, along with four district court nominees, two U.S. attorneys and three U.S. marshals.