Michael W. McConnell

Michael W. McConnell, 50, sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, based in Denver. He was appointed by President Bush in 2002. He has an academic background, serving as a law professor at the University of Chicago and the University of Utah. He served both as a law clerk for the liberal icon Justice William Brennan and as an official in the Reagan administration.

McConnell is well regarded in the academic world. More than 300 of his fellow professors, including many liberals, endorsed him for the bench.

Key Decisions and Writings:

With his academic background, McConnell has a long record expressing his views on a variety of subjects. His views have been described as "eclectic."

Bush v. Gore - In 2000 he wrote a Wall Street Journal op-ed in which he expressed doubts about the legal reasoning of the Supreme Court's Bush v. Gore decision. Some have speculated that this could hurt his chances of being appointed to the Supreme Court.

Abortion - He has been outspoken in his disagreement with Roe v. Wade. Before becoming a judge in 2002, he was a leading pro-life advocate and scholar who once described the Roe v. Wade case as a judicial "embarrassment." At his confirmation hearing, however, he called it "settled law."

Church and State - Conservatives like his writings favoring government "neutrality" toward religion. He voted to prohibit enforcement of federal anti-drug laws against people who consume hallucinogenic tea as part of a religious ritual.

More - As a judge, McConnell upheld Congress's power to criminalize the possession of homemade child pornography.

Profiles:

Washington Post profile

Slate profile

New York Times profile

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