[RichInOC]

Every nominee to the USSC should have prior experience on the bench...

Rehnquist had no prior experience as a judge. Thomas had a year or so on the DC Circuit. Scalia had about four years, also on the DC Circuit. Souter, on the other hand, had twelve years as a state judge, plus a few months on the First Circuit. Judicial experience is nice, but not absolutely necessary, and at least sometimes greatly overrated. Or did we change our minds about Souter being garbage?

[Siena Dreaming]

Interesting that even SCALIA said he liked the idea of a nominee with no prior judicial experience.