Which Two Supreme Court Justices Consulted Gov. Brown on California Supreme Court Appointments?

December 26th, 2014

The Times interviews California Governor Jerry Brown about his selection of three Justices to the California Supreme Court who had no judicial experience: Goodwin Liu (Law Professor from Berkeley), Mariano-Florentino Cuellar (Law Professor from Stanford), and Leondra Kruger (Associate Attorney Gener). How did Governor Brown select these individuals? The article suggests that “two members” of the Supreme Court consulted him!

Mr. Brown’s selections were the product of a long search that included consultations with two members of the United States Supreme Court — he would not say which ones — and come at a time when some scholars said the California court, while still widely admired, has lost some of the intellectual luster it once had. He said his nominees were modeled after Yale law professors.

Well, let’s think. Liu clerked for RBG. Kruger for JPS. Both were Tatel Tots (clerked for Judge Tatel on the D.C. Circuit). Cuellar was not a member of the elect, and clerked for Chief Judge Mary Schroeder on the 9th Circuit.

Is it safe to say JPS and RBG consulted Brown? Possibly.