American Bar Association Committee on Federal Judiciary
The American Bar Association (ABA) is the oldest and largest private organization of lawyers in the United States. In 1946 the ABA established a Standing Committee on Federal Judiciary to advise the government on the selection of Supreme Court justices and judges for federal district and appellate courts.
The committee has 15 members, appointed by the ABA president. Members represent different regions of the country. There is at least one member from each of the geographical areas of the United States in which a circuit court of appeals is located.
The ABA committee's advisory ratings are an important part of the selection of Supreme Court justices. After the President of the United States nominates a person to be a Supreme Court justice, the ABA committee investigates the nominee's background and record of achievement. Then the Committee rates the nominee according to this scale: well qualified, not opposed, or not qualified. These ratings, although advisory, tend to have great influence on the Senate Judiciary Committee and on the Senate as a whole, which has the power to confirm or reject the President's nominations to the Court.
The ABA committee is also involved in the nomination of federal district and appellate court judges. It rates such nominees according to a slightly different scale: well qualified, qualified, qualified/not qualified (indicating a split vote), or not qualified. Its rating is sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has the responsibility of recommending that the Senate approve or reject the nominee. The ABA committee also tries to publicize its ratings through the mass media.
See also Appointment power; Nominations, confirmation of
