Now that he’s been confirmed, there a few things you should know about your newest Supreme Court judge:
1. People aren’t sure what he thinks about maternity leave
Two former law students of Gorsuch submitted documents to the Senate Judiciary Committee during his hearing. They alleged that he’s said many women use their companies for maternity benefits and leave after the baby is born. BTW: When asked about this, Gorsuch said, per Time, that he teaches a legal ethics class at the University of Colorado and a standard textbook he teaches out of poses a problem of what a young female lawyer should say if she’s asked in a job interview if she intends to become pregnant soon. Gorsuch said he asks his class for a show of hands from people who have been asked inappropriate questions during a job interview. “I am shocked every year how many young women raise their hands,” he said. “It is disturbing to me.”
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2. He’s been vague on where he stands on abortion
Gorsuch hasn’t ruled on abortion yet, and he didn’t specifically state during his confirmation hearing where he stands on the controversial issue. When asked about the possibility of ruling on the legality of abortion, Gorsuch said, per U.S. News World Report, that he is “daunted” by that prospect. He also said that he would interpret the law and respect precedent, including Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court ruling which guarantees a woman’s right to an abortion. “No one is looking to return us to horse-and-buggy days,” he said. “We’re looking to interpret the law.”
3. He’s been tough on women’s reproductive rights in the past
Planned Parenthood calls Gorsuch’s track record on women’s reproductive rights “alarming.” They specifically pointed to his ruling on a Hobby Lobby case, in which he ruled, per The Washington Post, that closely held businesses do not have to give their employees contraceptive coverage that conflicts with the owner’s religious beliefs. Gorsuch later had this to say during his hearing: “If we got it wrong, I’m sorry, but we did our level-best, and it was affirmed by the Supreme Court.”
4. He’s indicated that he supports the Constitutional right of gay marriage
During his confirmation hearings, Gorsuch was pressed about his opinions on gay marriage. Gorsuch had this to say, per CNBC: “Equal justice under law. It is a radical promise in the history of mankind. … The Supreme Court of the United States has held that single-sex marriage is protected by the Constitution.”
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5. He’s been accused of plagiarism
According to Politico, documents obtained by the news organization show that Gorsuch copied the structure and language used by several authors in his 2006 book, The Future of Assisted Suicide Euthanasia. The site says he also didn’t cite source material and an academic article in the title. Politico reports that several parts of Gorsuch’s 10th chapter are “nearly verbatim” to a 1984 article in the Indiana Law Journal.
6. He’s the youngest of the Supreme Court justices
The newly-confirmed justice is 49—the next judge who is closest to him in age is Elena Kagan, at 56.
7. He’s getting to work ASAP
Gorsuch will become the 113th person to serve on the Supreme Court and, according to The Washington Post, he’s scheduled to be sworn in on Monday by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., during a private ceremony at 9 a.m. at the Supreme Court.