AP sources: Obama met with Wood for top court spot

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama has interviewed federal appeals court judge Diane Wood for the Supreme Court, one of the face-to-face meetings he's holding with finalists, officials said Wednesday. The move signals Obama is getting closer to one of the most far-reaching decisions of his presidency.

Wood, who serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals in Chicago, is among a small number of people being seriously considered for the high court. She was in Washington on Wednesday for a conference at Georgetown University. Wood declined to answer questions about the Supreme Court position at the event.

Some interesting information about Judge Wood.

Solid Waste Agency v. United States Army Corps of Engineers, 191 F.3d 845 (1999): Wood, writing for the panel, held that the decision to regulate isolated waters based on their actual use as a habitat by migratory birds was within Congress’s power under the Commerce Clause. The Supreme Court reversed. 531 U.S. 159 (2001).

National Organization for Women v. Scheidler, 267 F.3d 687 (7th Cir. 2001): Wood, writing for the panel, held that the district court did not err in concluding that the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act authorized private plaintiffs to seek injunctive relief. In addition, the court held that the injunction issued by the district prohibiting violent conduct by anti-abortion protesters struck the proper balance and avoided any risk of curtailing activities protected by the First Amendment. The Supreme Court reversed. 537 U.S. 393 (2003).

Christian Legal Society v. Walker, 453 F.3d 853 (7th Cir. 2006) (dissent). The panel majority held that the Christian Legal Society (CLS) was entitled to a preliminary injunction preventing Southern Illinois University's revocation of CLS's student group status based on the CLS's failure to adhere to the University's nondiscrimination policy. In dissent, Wood argued that CLS was not entitled to a preliminary injunction because it failed to show that it was likely to succeed on the merits and failed to demonstrate that it had a fundamental right to the benefits the University believed should have been withheld so long as CLS did not comply with the University's policy.

Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U. S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit Nominated by William J. Clinton on March 31, 1995, to a seat vacated by William Joseph Bauer; Confirmed by the Senate on June 30, 1995, and received commission on June 30, 1995.

Education: University of Texas, Austin, B.A., 1971

University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 1975

Professional Career: Law clerk, Hon. Irving Goldberg, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 1975-1976 Law clerk, Justice Harry Blackmun, Supreme Court of the United States, 1976-1977 Attorney-advisor, Office of the Legal Advisor, U.S. Department of State, 1977-1978 Private practice, Washington, DC, 1978-1980 Assistant professor of law, Georgetown University, 1980-1981 Faculty, University of Chicago, 1981-1995 Assistant professor, 1981-1988 Professor, 1988-1995 Associate dean, 1989-1992 Special assistant to the assistant Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, 1985-1987 Deputy assistant attorney general for international, appellate, and policy, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 1993-1995

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