Changes

'''Merrick Brian Garland''' (born November 13, 1952) is an American [[United States federal judge|federal judge]] who is the [[chief judge]] of the [[United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit]]. He has served on that court since 1997.

'''Merrick Brian Garland''' (born November 13, 1952) is an American [[United States federal judge|federal judge]] who is the [[chief judge]] of the [[United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit]]. He has served on that court since 1997.

A native of the Chicago area, Garland graduated ''summa cum laude'' as valedictorian from [[Harvard College]] and graduated ''magna cum laude'' from [[Harvard Law School]]. Garland was a [[law clerk]] to Judge [[Henry J. Friendly]] of the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit|U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit]] and Justice [[William J. Brennan, Jr.]] of the [[Supreme Court of the United States]]. Garland practiced corporate litigation at the [[Arnold & Porter]] law firm and worked as a federal prosecutor in the [[U.S. Department of Justice]], where he played a leading role in the investigation and prosecution of the [[Oklahoma City bombing|Oklahoma City bombers]] and the unibomber case.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whitehouse.go/scotus#credentials|title=President Obama’s Supreme Court Nomination|work=whitehouse.gov|accessdate=March 20, 2016}}</ref>

A native of the Chicago area, Garland graduated ''summa cum laude'' as valedictorian from [[Harvard College]] and graduated ''magna cum laude'' from [[Harvard Law School]]. Garland was a [[law clerk]] to Judge [[Henry J. Friendly]] of the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit|U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit]] and Justice [[William Brennan|William J. Brennan, Jr.]] of the [[Supreme Court of the United States]]. Garland practiced corporate litigation at the [[Arnold & Porter]] law firm and worked as a federal prosecutor in the [[U.S. Department of Justice]], where he played a leading role in the investigation and prosecution of the [[Oklahoma City bombing|Oklahoma City bombers]] and the unibomber case.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whitehouse.go/scotus#credentials|title=President Obama’s Supreme Court Nomination|work=whitehouse.gov|accessdate=March 20, 2016}}</ref>

In 1995, Garland was nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and (following a delay in [[United States Senate|Senate]] [[Advice and consent|confirmation]]) took the bench in 1997. [[Barack Obama]] interviewed Garland in 2009 and 2010 for two [[Supreme Court Candidates, 2010|openings on the Supreme Court]].  [[Conservative]] Senator [[Trent Lott]] led a floor fight to oppose Garland's nomination to the D.C. Circuit in 1997, and 23 senators voted against his confirmation.<ref>http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=105&session=1&vote=00034</ref>

In 1995, Garland was nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and (following a delay in [[United States Senate|Senate]] [[Advice and consent|confirmation]]) took the bench in 1997. [[Barack Obama]] interviewed Garland in 2009 and 2010 for two [[Supreme Court Candidates, 2010|openings on the Supreme Court]].  [[Conservative]] Senator [[Trent Lott]] led a floor fight to oppose Garland's nomination to the D.C. Circuit in 1997, and 23 senators voted against his confirmation.<ref>http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=105&session=1&vote=00034</ref>