Hon. Timothy K. Lewis Participates in Panel Discussion on SCOTUS Nominee

The Hon. Timothy K. Lewis discussed the Supreme Court nominations and confirmations at a panel discussion at the University of Miami School of Law hosted by the Rosemary Barkett Appellate Inn of Court.

According to reporting by The Daily Business Review, the discussion focused on President Donald Trump’s nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the seat of the late Justice Antonin Scalia.

Judge Lewis spoke to his concerns of the courts becoming too politicized. Judge Lewis, who testified on behalf of Merrick Garland during a Judiciary Committee conference last year, expressed concern about the failure to hold a hearing for the former nominee, saying “it really does call into question some very important ideals.”

Lewis served on the Third Circuit with Justice Samuel Alito and testified on his behalf during the confirmation process — even though they didn’t often agree. Judge Lewis commented, “I felt then that the duly elected president of the United States had put forth a name to the Senate Judiciary Committee of a judge that was eminently qualified.”

Lewis expressed hope that the Senate would vote to confirm judges based on their experience and qualifications rather than their political views.

Judge Lewis was nominated by George H.W. Bush to serve on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals and was unanimously confirmed by a Democratic Senate in 1992.