Courtesy of data from the Federal Judicial Center I have compiled statistics for each current Supreme Court Justice as well as for Justice Scalia and Judge Garland. This should give you some idea of how Garland compares to the current Justices as well as to the Justice who sat on the seat that he will potentially take.
For a quick run through of Judge Garland’s law/judicial background he was:
- Law clerk, Hon. Henry J. Friendly, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 1977-1978, clerk,
- Law Clerk, Hon. William J. Brennan, Jr., Supreme Court of the United States, 1978-1979
- Special assistant attorney general, U.S. Department of Justice, 1979-1981
- Private practice, Washington, D.C., 1981-1989, 1992-1993
- Assistant U.S. attorney, District of Columbia, 1989-1992
- Deputy assistant attorney general, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 1993-1994
- Principal associate deputy attorney general, U.S. Department of Justice, 1994-1997
- Nominated to U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, September 5, 1995
[For space and readability I placed the table with the second set of Justices below the first. Phone friendly image of the table at the bottom.]
| Judge Last Name | Garland | Scalia | Thomas | Kennedy | Alito |
| Judge First Name | Merrick | Antonin | Clarence | Anthony | Samuel |
| Judge Middle Name | B. | McLeod | A. | ||
| Birth year | 1952 | 1936 | 1948 | 1936 | 1950 |
| Place of Birth (City) | Chicago | Trenton | Savannah | Sacramento | Trenton |
| Place of Birth (State) | IL | NJ | GA | CA | NJ |
| Death month | 2 | ||||
| Death day | 13 | ||||
| Death year | 2016 | ||||
| Place of Death (City) | Shafter | ||||
| Place of Death (State) | TX | ||||
| Gender | M | M | M | M | M |
| Race or Ethnicity | White | White | African American | White | White |
| Judge Identification Number | 820 | 2108 | 2362 | 1256 | 26 |
| Court Name | U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit | U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit | U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit | U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit | U. S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit |
| Court Type | USCA | USCA | USCA | USCA | USCA |
| President name | William J. Clinton | Ronald Reagan | Gerald Ford | George H.W. Bush | |
| Party Affiliation of President | Democratic | Republican | Republican | Republican | Republican |
| Nomination Date Senate Executive Journal | 1/7/1997 | 7/15/1982 | 10/30/1989 | 3/3/1975 | 2/20/1990 |
| ABA Rating | Well Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Qualified | Well Qualified |
| Recess Appointment date | |||||
| Vice last name (predecessor) | Mikva | Robb | Bork | Merrill | Gibbons |
| Vice first name (predecessor) | Abner Joseph | Roger | Robert H. | Charles Merton | John Joseph |
| Authorization legislation | |||||
| Referral date (referral to Judicial Committee) | 1/7/1997 | 7/15/1982 | 10/31/1989 | 3/3/1975 | 2/20/1990 |
| Committee action | Reported With Recommendation | Reported With Recommendation | Reported With Recommendation | Reported With Recommendation | Reported With Recommendation |
| Committee action date | 3/6/1997 | 8/4/1982 | 2/22/1990 | 3/19/1975 | 4/26/1990 |
| Hearings | |||||
| Senate voice vote | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Senate vote Ayes/Nays | 76/23 | ||||
| Senate Vote Date (Confirmation Date) | 3/19/1997 | 8/5/1982 | 3/6/1990 | 3/20/1975 | 4/27/1990 |
| Commission Date | 3/20/1997 | 8/17/1982 | 3/6/1990 | 3/24/1975 | 4/30/1990 |
| Date of Service as Chief Judge (begin) | 2013 | ||||
| Date of Service as Chief Judge (end) | |||||
| Date of Termination | 9/26/1986 | 10/17/1991 | 2/17/1988 | 1/31/2006 | |
| Termination specific reason | Appointment to Another Judicial Position | Appointment to Another Judicial Position | Appointment to Another Judicial Position | Appointment to Another Judicial Position | |
| Court Name (2) | Supreme Court of the United States | Supreme Court of the United States | Supreme Court of the United States | Supreme Court of the United States | |
| Court Type (2) | USSC | USSC | USSC | USSC | |
| President name (2) | Ronald Reagan | George H.W. Bush | Ronald Reagan | George W. Bush | |
| Party Affiliation of President (2) | Republican | Republican | Republican | Republican | |
| Nomination Date Senate Executive Journal (2) | 6/24/1986 | 7/8/1991 | 11/30/1987 | 11/10/2005 | |
| ABA Rating (2) | Qualified | Well Qualified | Well Qualified | ||
| Vice last name (predecessor) (2) | Rehnquist | Marshall | Powell, Jr. | O`Connor | |
| Vice first name (predecessor) (2) | William H. | Thurgood | Lewis F. | Sandra Day | |
| referral date (referral to Judicial Committee) (2) | 6/24/1986 | 7/8/1991 | 11/30/1987 | 11/10/2005 | |
| Report number (2) | Ex. Rpt. 102-15 | ||||
| committee action (2) | Reported With Recommendation | Reported Without Recommendation | Reported With Recommendation | Reported With Recommendation | |
| Committee action date (2) | 8/14/1986 | 10/1/1991 | 2/1/1988 | 1/24/2006 | |
| Hearings (2) | 1/13/2006 | ||||
| Senate voice vote (2) | No | No | No | No | |
| Senate vote Ayes/Nays (2) | 98/0 | 52/48 | 97/0 | 58/42 | |
| Senate Vote Date (Confirmation Date) (2) | 9/17/1986 | 10/15/1991 | 2/3/1988 | 1/31/2006 | |
| Commission Date (2) | 9/25/1986 | 10/18/1991 | 2/11/1988 | 1/31/2006 | |
| Date of Termination (2) | 2/13/2016 | ||||
| Termination specific reason (2) | Death | ||||
| Name of School | Harvard College | Georgetown | College of the Holy Cross | Stanford University | Princeton University |
| Degree | A.B. | B.A. | B.A. | B.A. | A.B. |
| Degree year | 1974 | 1957 | 1971 | 1958 | 1972 |
| Name of School (2) | Harvard Law School | Harvard Law School | Yale Law School | Harvard Law School | Yale Law School |
| Degree (2) | J.D. | LL.B. | J.D. | J.D. | J.D. |
| Degree year (2) | 1977 | 1960 | 1974 | 1961 | 1975 |
| Judge Last Name | Sotomayor | Breyer | Roberts | Ginsburg | Kagan |
| Judge First Name | Sonia | Stephen | John | Ruth | Elena |
| Judge Middle Name | Gerald | Glover | Bader | ||
| Birth year | 1954 | 1938 | 1955 | 1933 | 1960 |
| Place of Birth (City) | Bronx | San Francisco | Buffalo | Brooklyn | New York |
| Place of Birth (State) | NY | CA | NY | NY | NY |
| Death month | |||||
| Death day | |||||
| Death year | |||||
| Place of Death (City) | |||||
| Place of Death (State) | |||||
| Gender | F | M | M | F | F |
| Race or Ethnicity | Hispanic | White | White | White | White |
| Court Name | U. S. District Court, Southern District of New York | U. S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit | U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit | U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit | Supreme Court of the United States |
| Court Type | USDC | USCA | USCA | USCA | USSC |
| President name | George H.W. Bush | Jimmy Carter | George W. Bush | Jimmy Carter | Barack Obama |
| Party Affiliation of President | Republican | Democratic | Republican | Democratic | Democratic |
| Nomination Date Senate Executive Journal | 11/27/1991 | 11/13/1980 | 1/7/2003 | 4/14/1980 | 5/10/2010 |
| ABA Rating | Qualified | Qualified | Well Qualified | Exceptionally Well Qualified | Well Qualified |
| Recess Appointment date | |||||
| Vice last name (predecessor) | Walker, Jr. | new | Buckley | Leventhal | Stevens |
| Vice first name (predecessor) | John M. | James L. | Harold | John Paul | |
| Authorization legislation | 92 Stat. 1629 | ||||
| Referral date (referral to Judicial Committee) | 11/27/1991 | 11/13/1980 | 1/7/2003 | 4/15/1980 | 5/10/2010 |
| Committee action | Reported With Recommendation | Reported With Recommendation | Reported With Recommendation | Reported With Recommendation | Reported With Recommendation |
| Committee action date | 6/11/1992 | 11/17/1980 | 2/27/2003 | 6/17/1980 | 7/20/2010 |
| Hearings | 1/29/2003 | ||||
| Senate voice vote | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Senate vote Ayes/Nays | 80/10 | 63/37 | |||
| Senate Vote Date (Confirmation Date) | 8/11/1992 | 12/9/1980 | 5/8/2003 | 6/18/1980 | 8/5/2010 |
| Commission Date | 8/12/1992 | 12/10/1980 | 6/2/2003 | 6/18/1980 | 8/6/2010 |
| Date of Service as Chief Judge (begin) | 1990 | ||||
| Date of Service as Chief Judge (end) | 1994 | ||||
| Date of Termination | 10/13/1998 | 8/2/1994 | 9/29/2005 | 8/9/1993 | |
| Termination specific reason | Appointment to Another Judicial Position | Appointment to Another Judicial Position | Appointment to Another Judicial Position | Appointment to Another Judicial Position | |
| Court Name (2) | U. S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit | Supreme Court of the United States | Supreme Court of the United States, Chief Justice | Supreme Court of the United States | |
| Court Type (2) | USCA | USSC | USSC | USSC | |
| President name (2) | William J. Clinton | William J. Clinton | George W. Bush | William J. Clinton | |
| Party Affiliation of President (2) | Democratic | Democratic | Republican | Democratic | |
| Nomination Date Senate Executive Journal (2) | 6/25/1997 | 5/17/1994 | 9/6/2005 | 6/22/1993 | |
| ABA Rating (2) | Well Qualified | Well Qualified | Well Qualified | Well Qualified | |
| Vice last name (predecessor) (2) | Mahoney | Blackmun | Rehnquist | White | |
| Vice first name (predecessor) (2) | J. Daniel | Harry A. | William H. | Byron R. | |
| referral date (referral to Judicial Committee) (2) | 6/25/1997 | 5/17/1994 | 9/6/2005 | 6/22/1993 | |
| committee action (2) | Reported With Recommendation | Reported Without Recommendation | Reported With Recommendation | Reported With Recommendation | |
| Committee action date (2) | 3/5/1998 | 8/25/1994 | 9/22/2005 | 7/29/1993 | |
| Hearings (2) | 9/30/1997 | 9/15/2005 | |||
| Senate voice vote (2) | No | No | No | No | |
| Senate vote Ayes/Nays (2) | 68/28 | 87/9 | 78/22 | 96/3 | |
| Senate Vote Date (Confirmation Date) (2) | 10/2/1998 | 7/29/1994 | 9/29/2005 | 8/3/1993 | |
| Commission Date (2) | 10/7/1998 | 8/3/1994 | 9/29/2005 | 8/5/1993 | |
| Date of Termination (2) | 8/7/2009 | ||||
| Termination specific reason (2) | Appointment to Another Judicial Position | ||||
| Court Name (3) | Supreme Court of the United States | ||||
| Court Type (3) | USSC | ||||
| President name (3) | Barack Obama | ||||
| Party Affiliation of President (3) | Democratic | ||||
| Nomination Date Senate Executive Journal (3) | 6/1/2009 | ||||
| ABA Rating (3) | Well Qualified | ||||
| Vice last name (predecessor) (3) | Souter | ||||
| Vice first name (predecessor) (3) | David H. | ||||
| referral date (referral to Judicial Committee) (3) | 6/1/2009 | ||||
| committee action (3) | Reported With Recommendation | ||||
| Committee action date (3) | 7/28/2009 | ||||
| Hearings (3) | 7/16/2009 | ||||
| Senate voice vote (3) | No | ||||
| Senate vote Ayes/Nays (3) | 68/31 | ||||
| Senate Vote Date (Confirmation Date) (3) | 8/6/2009 | ||||
| Commission Date (3) | 8/6/2009 | ||||
| Name of School | Princeton University | Stanford University | Harvard College | Cornell University | Princeton University |
| Degree | B.A. | A.B. | A.B. | A.B. | A.B. |
| Degree year | 1976 | 1959 | 1976 | 1954 | 1981 |
| Name of School (2) | Yale Law School | University of Oxford | Harvard Law School | Harvard Law School | University of Oxford, Worcester College |
| Degree (2) | J.D. | B.A. | J.D. | M.Phil. | |
| Degree year (2) | 1979 | 1961 | 1979 | 1983 | |
| Name of School (3) | Harvard Law School | Columbia Law School | Harvard Law School | ||
| Degree (3) | LL.B. | LL.B. | J.D. | ||
| Degree year (3) | 1964 | 1959 | 1986 |
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