Indian American Judge Sri Srinivasan name is already floating in the top corridors of the White House as the next Supreme Court Justice, as per meadia reports. The 48 year old Indian-origin American citizen could be the first Indian American to serve on the Supreme Court, as well as one of the younger nominees in recent memory.
After the death of justice Antonin Scalia earlier today, Feb 13, speculation is rampant that D.C. circuit court judge Sri Srinivasan is on President Obama’s shortlist to fill Scalia’s vacant seat on the bench.
Judge Srinivasan was confirmed to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2013 during the Obama administration and has been described by The New Yorker as “the nominee in waiting.”
The D.C. Circuit Court, formally The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, is the federal appellate court for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. It is seen by many observers as a test pool for potential SCOTUS nominees. The court hears cases that have to do with independent federal agencies — like the Environmental Protection Agency, for example.
Many people on Twitter are already suggesting that Srinivasan is the most likely replacement for Scalia.
According to a release by The White House at the time of his nomination, Srinivasan “began his legal career by serving as a law clerk for Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit .”
Srinivasan also spent a year as a fellow in the office of the Solicitor General and clerked for Sandra Day O’Conner, The White House said.
After serving as an associate at O’Melveny & Myers LLP, Srinivasan returned to the Solicitor General’s Office to work as an Assistant to the Solicitor General.
While serving in that post, Srinivasan represented the United States “in litigation before the Supreme Court,” according to The White House.
As The New Yorker noted, Srinivasan ” is currently the Obama Administration’s principal deputy solicitor general.”
The Stanford educated potential nominee received his bachelor degree, law degree and J.D. from California school. While Srinivasan was born in Chandigarh, India he grew up in Lawrence, Kansas, according to The White House.