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In reply to the discussion: Do you think Biden might nominate Obama to SCOTUS? [View all]Celerity
(43,065 posts)part of that time as well.
12 cases argued before SCOTUS.
What can we learn from Justice Leondra Krugers arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court? (2015)
http://scocablog.com/what-can-we-learn-from-justice-leondra-krugers-arguments-before-the-u-s-supreme-court/
Californias newest Supreme Court Justice, Leondra R. Kruger, served from 2007 to 2012 as an Assistant to the Solicitor General of the United States. Hired initially by Republican Solicitor General Paul Clement, Kruger served under six different confirmed or acting Solicitors General. When Neal Katyal was elevated to Acting Solicitor General in 2010 he appointed Kruger as his Acting Principal Deputy, the second-highest position in that office. Krugers appointment as Principal Deputy in 2010 capped an unusually fast rise, indicative of Krugers innate skills as well as her ability to command respect from peers and, indeed, experienced colleagues much older than she.
While in the Solicitor Generals office, Kruger argued twelve cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court (and of course participated in the briefing of many more). In five of these cases, Kruger appeared for the principal party (as Petitioner or Respondent); and in seven, she argued as an Amicus or friend of the Court, a position that the Solicitor General is often granted to present the federal interest in a case where the federal government is not the direct party. One of the unique aspects of the Solicitor Generals role is how regularly the Court invites or allows that office to participate in oral argument, even as amicus, and how often the SGs amicus positions actually predominate in the Courts final decisions!
This post will not survey all of Krugers oral arguments; you can find a complete list and links to the audio of the arguments themselves here. (Interestingly, Krugers recent appointment was apparently so speedy that the Oyez audio file site doesnt even display a photo of her, as it does for most regular SCOTUS arguers.) However, by listening to a few of Krugers arguments, I think you can pick up some signals of what Justice Leondra Kruger will be like when sitting on the California Supreme Courts bench.
What comes across most consistently and immediately in the audio files of Krugers arguments is a remarkable ability to stay calm in the face of intense questioning. Indeed, her rare talent is to sound not just calm, but actually sensible and understanding, as she confronts a Justice or two known to be hostile to the governments position.
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