Merrick Garland

Merrick Garland is a renowned American judge and lawyer who has served as the Attorney General of the United States since 2021. He was previously a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, where he served as the chief judge from 2013 to 2020. Garland's nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States by President Barack Obama in 2016 was not successful due to opposition from Senate Republicans, including Mitch McConnell and Ted Cruz. He has also worked with notable figures such as Solicitor General Don Verrilli and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

● Early life and education

Merrick Garland was born in Chicago, Illinois, to a family of Jewish descent, and grew up in the Lincolnwood suburb of Chicago. He attended Niles West High School and later enrolled at Harvard University, where he graduated magna cum laude with a degree in social studies. Garland then attended Harvard Law School, earning his Juris Doctor degree in 1977. During his time at Harvard Law School, he was a member of the Harvard Law Review and worked with notable figures such as Professor Laurence Tribe and Judge Harry Blackmun. After law school, Garland clerked for Judge Henry Friendly of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and later for Justice William Brennan Jr. of the Supreme Court of the United States.

● Career

Before becoming a judge, Garland worked as a lawyer in private practice at the firm Arnold & Porter and later as a prosecutor in the United States Department of Justice, where he worked under Attorney General Dick Thornburgh and Deputy Attorney General Donald Ayer. In 1989, Garland joined the United States Department of Justice as a deputy assistant attorney general, working under Attorney General Dick Thornburgh and Deputy Attorney General Donald Ayer. He also worked with notable figures such as FBI Director William S. Sessions and United States Attorney Jay Stephens. Garland's work in the Oklahoma City bombing case, where he worked with FBI Director Louis Freeh and United States Attorney Patrick Ryan, was particularly notable.

● Judicial career

In 1997, Garland was nominated by President Bill Clinton to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, where he was confirmed by the United States Senate with the support of Senator Orrin Hatch and Senator Ted Kennedy. As a judge, Garland has heard cases involving notable figures such as Enron and WorldCom, and has worked with judges such as Judge David Sentelle and Judge Judith Rogers. He has also been involved in cases related to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the USA PATRIOT Act, working with FBI Director Robert Mueller and Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte. Garland's opinions have been cited by judges such as Justice Antonin Scalia and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

● Nomination to

the Supreme Court In 2016, President Barack Obama nominated Garland to the Supreme Court of the United States to fill the vacancy left by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. However, the nomination was not successful due to opposition from Senate Republicans, including Mitch McConnell and Ted Cruz, who argued that the next president should fill the vacancy. Garland's nomination was supported by notable figures such as Senator Chuck Schumer and Senator Dianne Feinstein, but was ultimately not confirmed by the United States Senate. The nomination process was also influenced by the National Rifle Association and the American Civil Liberties Union, among other organizations.

● Attorney General of

the United States In 2021, Garland was nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as the Attorney General of the United States, where he was confirmed by the United States Senate with the support of Senator Lindsey Graham and Senator Susan Collins. As Attorney General, Garland has overseen the United States Department of Justice and worked with notable figures such as FBI Director Christopher Wray and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. He has also been involved in cases related to the January 6 United States Capitol attack and the COVID-19 pandemic, working with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky and Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan. Garland has also worked to address issues such as voting rights and police reform, collaborating with organizations such as the American Bar Association and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.