Durbin Announces Hearing Dates for Judge Jackson's Nomination to the Supreme Court

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today announced the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing dates for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court in a letter to his Committee colleagues. 

• The hearings will begin on Monday, March 21, with statements from Committee members, the individuals who will introduce Judge Jackson, and Judge Jackson herself.
• Questioning of Judge Jackson will begin on Tuesday, March 22 and continue on Wednesday, March 23.
• The Committee will also meet in closed session on Wednesday, March 23 to discuss any matters relating to the nominee’s FBI background investigation. The Committee does this for every Supreme Court nominee, regardless of whether the background investigation has raised concerns.
• The hearings will conclude on Thursday, March 24, with testimony from the American Bar Association (ABA) and additional outside witnesses.

“As I have said from the time that Justice Breyer announced his retirement, the Committee will undertake a fair and timely process to consider Judge Jackson’s nomination,” Durbin wrote.  “I look forward to Judge Jackson’s appearance before the Committee and to respectful and dignified hearings.”  

Full text of today’s letter is available here and below:

March 2, 2022

Dear Colleagues:

On Friday, President Biden announced the historic nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

I write to notify you of the hearing dates for the Senate Judiciary Committee’s consideration of Judge Jackson’s nomination. Consistent with the Committee’s longstanding tradition, the hearings will last four days, which will provide Committee members with ample opportunity to question the nominee and other witnesses.

The hearings will begin on Monday, March 21, with statements from Committee members, the individuals who will introduce Judge Jackson, and Judge Jackson herself. Questioning of Judge Jackson will begin on Tuesday, March 22 and continue on Wednesday, March 23. The Committee will also meet in closed session on Wednesday, March 23 to discuss any matters relating to the nominee’s FBI background investigation. The Committee does this for every Supreme Court nominee, regardless of whether the background investigation has raised concerns. The hearings will conclude on Thursday, March 24, with testimony from the American Bar Association (ABA) and additional outside witnesses.

Written Questions for the Record (QFRs) will be due to the nominee by 5 pm on Thursday, March 24.

As I have said from the time that Justice Breyer announced his retirement, the Committee will undertake a fair and timely process to consider Judge Jackson’s nomination.

I look forward to Judge Jackson’s appearance before the Committee and to respectful and dignified hearings.  

Sincerely,

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