Brookings: Experts - Russell Wheeler

Judicial Nominations in the Bush and Obama Administrations’ First Nine Months

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

October 20, 2009 marked nine months since President Barack Obama took office. Russell Wheeler compares the nomination process for the courts of appeals and district courts of the George W. Bush administration with the current one, focusing on nominations made, hearings held, nominees confirmed and nominee characteristics. Wheeler reveals two striking findings: the relatively paucity of Obama administration nominees and the delay in full Senate action on those nominees.

The Changing Face of the Federal Judiciary

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

With Justice Sonia Sotomayer confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court and President Obama set to fill a number of lower court vacancies, there is renewed attention on the demographic makeup of the U.S. judiciary. Russell Wheeler examines federal judicial demographic data from the Eisenhower administration to today. He concludes that while the face of the judiciary has markedly changed over the last 30 years, it hardly mirrors the general population.

Seeking Fair and Effective Administration of Immigration Laws

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Obama administration announced plans to restructure how immigrants—most of whom have no criminal records—are detained. Immigration presents courts and administrative agencies tremendous challenges due to a lack of consensus and resources for total enforcement of laws governing entry to and status in the country. Russell Wheeler has explained why crafting better policies for institutions most responsible for enforcing the laws fairly should be part of the broader immigration reform effort.

Will Judge Sonia Sotomayor be Confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice?

Tue, 26 May 2009 15:46:44 GMT

Russell Wheeler says there is no doubt that U.S. Appeals Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor will be confirmed to replace retiring Justice David Souter on the U.S. Supreme Court. The real question is whether she will be confirmed by the October start of the court.

President Obama's Court Nominations

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:44:51 GMT

Russell Wheeler says President Obama’s nomination of David Hamilton to serve on the appellate court was a thoughtful choice but will still draw criticism.

How Might the Obama Administration Affect the Composition of the U. S. Courts of Appeals?

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Following the announcement of President Obama’s first judicial nomination, Russell Wheeler offers clues to how President Obama might affect the composition of the United States Courts of Appeals. A reasonable estimate is that the proportion of Republican appointees could drop from 56 percent to 43 percent; Democratic appointees could rise from 36 percent to 57 percent.

Restore Civility to the Selection of Federal Judges

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hot-button social topics often dominate voters' views of where presidential candidates stand on judicial appointments. Plus, as in much of U.S. politics, the process of getting judges on the bench has become cantankerous and divided. Russell Wheeler says that the next president should try to work with the Senate to restore civility.

What is the Role of Courts in Making Social Policy?

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Russell Wheeler and Stuart Taylor engage in a NewTalk discussion on whether it's possible for judges to apply the law in court cases without making or affecting social policy.

Prevent Federal Court Nomination Battles: De-Escalating the Conflict over the Judiciary

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Infected by polarization, confirmation rates for federal judges have plummeted and long delays are commonplace. Brookings’s Russell Wheeler recommends that the next president should create a bipartisan commission and set a timetable to prevent the lengthy nomination battles.

Judicial Independence and Judicial Accountability in the 110th Congress and Beyond

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

In this Issues in Governance Studies paper, Russell Wheeler examines efforts to balance judicial independence and accountability in the 110th Congress and beyond.

How to Pay the Piper: It's Time to Call Different Tunes for Congressional and Judicial Salaries

Sun, 01 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

An Ad Hoc Group on Federal Judicial Salaries, comprised of former U.S. senators and representatives, has called for Congress to end the practice of linking the salaries of federal judges and those of members of Congress. In this paper, Russell Wheeler and Michael Graves describe the history of interbranch salary linkage and analyze it as policy.