Existing comment:
Reading the Law:
Legal Education in America
Many people are surprised to learn that the Constitution does not list any qualifications for Supreme Court Justices, like it does for the President and Members of Congress. It simply states that a Justice must be nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Training and education are important considerations for the President when selecting a Justice. Although not a requirement, every Justice to date has been trained as a lawyer.
Early America offered few opportunities for aspiring lawyers to receive their training. Those with means often traveled to England, but most remained at home and read law or sought an apprenticeship with a respected lawyer. Supreme Court Justices often had the best legal education available in their time. As legal training continued to evolve, so too did the legal background of the Justices. Those changes affected the way Justices came to think about, and ultimately, decide cases. |