Neil Gorsuch confirmed as Supreme Court justice

Judge Neil Gorsuch has been confirmed as a US Supreme Court associate justice, after the Republicans invoked a “nuclear” option in a bid to ensure his confirmation.

The Republicans voted in favour—54-45—of Gorsuch as the ninth Supreme Court justice on Friday, April 7.

WIPR reported that the Republican Party had invoked a “nuclear” option in a bid to ensure that Gorsuch, of the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, would be confirmed as a justice.

President Donald Trump nominated Gorsuch on February 1 to replace Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February last year.

Gorsuch was nominated by former US President George W Bush to take up his previous position at the Tenth Circuit.

He has had some experience in IP—in 2008, he handed down a mixed ruling in Meshwerks v Toyota Motor Sales USA, a copyright infringement case which concerned digital wire frames in Toyota’s vehicles.

The Senate had voted 55-45 on Thursday, April 6 in favour of Gorsuch, but 60 votes were needed.

Then, the Republican Party made a “historic” rule change that will dramatically alter nominations to the Supreme Court, according to The Guardian, because just 51 votes were then required to confirm Gorsuch.

The White House released a statement from Trump on April 7, when he said: “It is a great honour to announce the historic confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch as associate justice to the Supreme Court of the US."

He added that Gorsuch’s confirmation process was “one of the most transparent and accessible in history, and his judicial temperament, exceptional intellect, unparalleled integrity, and record of independence makes him the perfect choice to serve on the nation’s highest court”.

Gorsuch will be sworn into office today, April 10, in two separate ceremonies.