Supreme Court Justice Gore anyone?

[cleveramerican]

Man wouldn't that be the best. He'd be a perfect choice for some soon to be elected democratic president. It's a nice dream.

[PresidentObama]

1. Correction.

President Gore anyone?

:bounce:

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Have we ever had a non-lawyer SC appointment?

[Sammy Pepys]

3. I don't think it's required....

...that one be a lawyer to be a USSC justice, actually.

[NaturalHigh]

7. You're right. It's not required.

In fact, I'm pretty sure we've had Supreme Court justices who weren't lawyers. It's rare, though.

Edit: I was wrong. Apparently, we've never had a justice who wasn't a lawyer, but we've had some who didn't actually graduate from a law school.

Although the Supreme Court of the United States has never had a non-lawyer as a Justice, there are a number of state courts with non-lawyers on the bench.

Levi Woodbury, named to the Supreme Court by President Polk in 1851, was the first Justice to have formally attended law school<1>. Prior to this, all Justices had gotten their training through apprenticeships, similar to the British system. The apprentice system was in common use through the first century of the Supreme Court’s history, and James Byrnes in 1941<2> was the last Supreme Court Justice trained through apprenticeship.

http://www.constitutioncenter.org/education/ForEducators/SupremeCourtConfirmationFAQ.shtml

[dragonlady]

9. Not required, but close to it in practice

I think the only kind of nonlawyer who could be confirmed would be a recognized constitutional law scholar of the political scientist type.

[SharonAnn]

10. Here's the information. My first post was wrong.

http://www.constitutioncenter.org/education/ForEducators/SupremeCourtConfirmationFAQ.shtml#q2

Has someone who is not a lawyer ever served on the Supreme Court Bench?

Although the Supreme Court of the United States has never had a non-lawyer as a Justice, there are a number of state courts with non-lawyers on the bench.

Levi Woodbury, named to the Supreme Court by President Polk in 1851, was the first Justice to have formally attended law school<1>. Prior to this, all Justices had gotten their training through apprenticeships, similar to the British system. The apprentice system was in common use through the first century of the Supreme Court’s history, and James Byrnes in 1941<2> was the last Supreme Court Justice trained through apprenticeship.

[StatGirl]

4. I'd prefer Eliot Spitzer

Gore has great talent, but the Supreme Court wouldn't be his best environment.

[ellacott]

5. Eliot Spitzer would be and excellent choice n/t

[StatGirl]

6. Plus, he's young! n/t

[cleveramerican]

8. He would rise to the occasion

[StatGirl]

11. But he'd be too old

After all, he'll be 68 after his second presidential term expires. :)