An Indian-American legal luminary Amul Thapar is among the 25 shortlisted judges United States President Donald Trump could nominate to replace Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, according to American media reports.
Justice Kennedy, 81, announced his retirement from the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday after meeting Trump at the White House subsequently telling his colleagues that July 31 would be his last day at the apex court.
Amul Thapar, 49, is one among the 25 shortlisted judges on Trump’s Supreme Court list. Trump told reporters that his nominees to replace Judge Kennedy would be from this list compiled by the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society. American media outlets later identify Thapar from Kentucky as one among the shortlisted judges.
Earlier this year, Trump appointed Thapar, who sits on the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and a former United States Attorney, for the District of Kentucky and District Judge.
The son of Indian-American immigrants, Thapar is the Nation’s first Article III judge of South Asian descent. He was confirmed by the Senate 52-44.
Thapar began his career in legal with a private practice, after clerkships with Judge S Arthur Spiegel and Judge Nathaniel R Jones. In 1991, he received in BS from Boston College and his JD from the University of California.
According to The Washington Post, seven judges could be on Trump’s mind to replace Kennedy on the Supreme Court and Thapar as among one among them. “Thapar is a favorite of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and as a candidate, Trump said he would consider Thapar as a Supreme Court pick,” it said. “He was interviewed by Trump for the Supreme Court vacancy last year,” the report said.
“Kennedy’s resignation reopens the door for Thapar’s consideration,” said Courier-Journal. McConnell, who called for a nominee who will interpret the law fairly and apply it even-handedly, has praised Thapar in the past.
By Sowmya Sangam
