--- title: White House May Be Vetting Appeals Judge for Supreme Court description: The White House is apparently vetting Judge Jane L. Kelly as a potential nominee for the Supreme Court. canonical: https://time.com/4245550/jane-kelly-supreme-court-obama-scalia/ author: Daniel White article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-03-02T22:08:55.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:41:58.502Z article:section: Politics og:title: White House May Be Vetting Appeals Judge for Supreme Court og:description: The Republican judiciary chair praised the potential nominee in the past. og:url: https://time.com/4245550/jane-kelly-supreme-court-obama-scalia/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6ea796b0157c6ae4/6988790ce20a873846a8f0ee/supreme-court-puerto-rico-sovereignty.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4199 og:image:height: 2362 og:image:alt: Turmoil Only Sure Thing If Supreme Court Rejects Gay Marriage og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: White House May Be Vetting Appeals Judge for Supreme Court twitter:description: The Republican judiciary chair praised the potential nominee in the past. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6ea796b0157c6ae4/6988790ce20a873846a8f0ee/supreme-court-puerto-rico-sovereignty.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # White House May Be Vetting Appeals Judge for Supreme Court Vacancy > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ## Video: TIME Raw: Watch Obama Meet With Senators On SCOTUS [Watch (HLS stream): TIME Raw: Watch Obama Meet With Senators On SCOTUS](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/BK41ZLOz.m3u8) (0:32)  _Published 2016-03-01_ by [Daniel White](https://time.com/author/daniel-white/) ## Daniel White Mar 2, 2016 10:08 PM UTC  The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. Drew Angerer—Bloomberg/Getty Images by [Daniel White](https://time.com/author/daniel-white/) ## Daniel White Mar 2, 2016 10:08 PM UTC The White House [may be vetting](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/03/us/politics/white-house-vetting-jane-kelly-judge-supreme-court.html?smid=tw-share&%5Fr=1) Judge Jane L. Kelly as a potential nominee for the Supreme Court. Kelly, a federal appellate judge, is the subject of a background check by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, according to a report by the New York _Times_, citing an unnamed person familiar with the situation. The White House has remained tight lipped during the search to fill the vacancy since the [death of Justice Antonin Scalia in February](http://time.com/4236982/supreme-court-next-trial/). The Senate swiftly confirmed Kelly unanimously three years ago for her current post on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. She is highly regarded in legal circles in Iowa, according to the _Times_ report, and which could push Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Sen. Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, who has previously praised Kelly, into an awkward position if he refuses to hold a hearing on her. Grassley has thus far said the committee would not [entertain a Supreme Court nomination from the White House](http://time.com/4224322/antonin-scalia-replacement-supreme-court-mitch-mcconnell-senate/) until Obama is out of office. If brought on to the Supreme Court, Kelly would be the only public defender serving on the nation’s highest court. ## Transcript [ CROSSTALK ] Thank you everybody! Thank you Paul! Thank you guys! [ BLANK_AUDIO ] So this vacancy will not be filled this year. 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