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- NATION, Page 55American NotesTHE COURTClearing The Bar
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- Ever since Judge David Souter was nominated for the U.S.
- Supreme Court in July, legal scholars and interest groups have
- been poring over his record. Last week some of the scrutiny
- ended in a big boost for the candidate Justice when an American
- Bar Association screening committee unanimously handed him its
- highest rating of "well qualified" and said he met the highest
- standards of "integrity, professional competence and judicial
- temperament."
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- The next step in Souter's ordeal is a Senate Judiciary
- Committee hearing, which is scheduled to begin later this week.
- The enigmatic New Englander will be closely questioned about
- his judicial philosophy in what are expected to be heated,
- partisan sessions. In particular, some Senators will try to
- probe Souter's views on Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that
- legalized abortion. Pro-choice and some women's groups have
- been mobilizing against Souter, but they are unlikely to impede
- his progress -- unless he makes a major gaffe. "Souter is far
- too good a technical lawyer to get himself into trouble," says
- American University law professor Herman Schwartz. "He will do
- what Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and Justice Antonin Scalia did
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