Here is a look at the life of US Supreme Court justice, Neil Gorsuch.
Personal:
Birth date: August 29, 1967
Birth place: Denver, Colorado
Birth name: Neil McGill Gorsuch
Father: David Gorsuch, lawyer
Mother: Anne Gorsuch Burford, lawyer and administrator of the EPA for nearly two years under President Ronald Reagan
Marriage: Marie Louise Gorsuch
Children: Emma and Belinda
Education: Columbia University, B.A., 1988; Harvard Law School, J.D., 1991; Oxford University, D. Phil., 2004
Religion: Raised Catholic, attends Episcopal church
Other Facts:
Last name is pronounced GORE-sitch.
Gorsuch is an avid skier, fly-fisherman and hiker.
While at Columbia University, co-founded a student publication called the Federalist Paper. According to a history of the paper, its original intent was to be “content neutral.” It is now a satire publication.
Gorsuch’s mother was the first woman to run the EPA.
Notable cases include Yellowbear v. Lampert, United States v. Nichols and include a ruling in favor of Hobby Lobby, which challenged the Affordable Care Act’s requirement to provide contraceptive coverage in employee health plans. The chain store objected on religious grounds.
His 2006 book, “The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia,” explores the legalities and ethics of physician assisted suicide. He ultimately argues against “death with dignity” laws.
Timeline:
1991-1992 – Law clerk to Judge David Sentelle, of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
1993-1994 – Law clerk to Associate Supreme Court Justices Byron White and Anthony Kennedy.
1995-1997 – Associate at Kellogg, Huber, Hansen, Todd, Evans & Figel.
1998-2005 – Partner at Kellogg, Huber, Hansen, Todd, Evans & Figel.
2005-2006 – Principal Deputy to the Associate Attorney General and Acting Associate Attorney General, US Department of Justice.
2006-2017 – Judge on the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, nominated by President George W. Bush.
January 31, 2017 – Gorsuch is nominated by President Donald Trump to replace the late Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court.
February 8, 2017 – In a meeting with Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Gorsuch takes exception to Trump calling a federal judge in Seattle a “so-called judge” after blocking the President’s travel ban. Gorsuch describes the president’s tweets about the judiciary as “demoralizing” and “disheartening.”
March 20-23, 2017 – The Senate holds confirmation hearings for Gorsuch. On the final day of hearings, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer says that Democrats will filibuster Gorsuch’s nomination.
April 6, 2017 – The Senate triggers the so-called “nuclear option,” lowering the vote threshold on nominations from 60 to 51, allowing Republicans to break a Democratic filibuster of Gorsuch.
April 7, 2017 – The Senate confirms Gorsuch to the US Supreme Court with a vote of 54-45.
April 10, 2017 – Gorsuch’s ceremonial swearing-in is held at the White House.