Nomination Thread: Sam Spade for Chief Justice

[Bacon King]

Please debate and ask questions of the nominee in this thread.

[Alexander Hamilton]

So if the Senate fails to confirm Sam Spade for this position, is he removed from the court?

[MaxQue]

So if the Senate fails to confirm Sam Spade for this position, is he removed from the court?

No, he is still Associate Justice.

[Alexander Hamilton]

So if the Senate fails to confirm Sam Spade for this position, is he removed from the court?

No, he is still Associate Justice.

Then what does Marokai become?

[MaxQue]

So if the Senate fails to confirm Sam Spade for this position, is he removed from the court?

No, he is still Associate Justice.

Then what does Marokai become?

Nothing, that is why we must wait the confirmation of Spade to open Marokai vote.

[Alexander Hamilton]

So if the Senate fails to confirm Sam Spade for this position, is he removed from the court?

No, he is still Associate Justice.

Then what does Marokai become?

Nothing, that is why we must wait the confirmation of Spade to open Marokai vote.

Okay, thanks for clearing that up.

[MaxQue]

Well, we have all your opinions since you were named Justice (they are answering to most questions), so I don't see what to ask you for the moment.

[Sam Spade]

As usual, I'll answer any questions, except those that could potentially involve giving opinions about future cases before the Court.

[Sam Spade]

A few thoughts:

1) I believe that the Court must be patient and thoughtful in its analysis, even if this takes a certain amount of time.  Often times cases are brought to the Court in confusion, addressing irrelevant issues or promoting spurious arguments.  We should help focus the claims of the parties to the true legal questions so that both sides may be properly and intelligently argued.  Moreover, we should aim to be thorough, careful, clear and concise in our reasoning, in that order of importance.  This means we should cover every issue, no matter how obvious its conclusion, so that our line of thought is easily understood by the parties and the public at large.  And by doing this, we help build a legal framework which guides our decisionmaking in future cases.

2) I believe first and foremost that the Court must look to the language of the Constitution first, and the law, second, in deciding the result of a case before us.  If the law in question is repugnant to the Constitution, we should use our power to strike it down, but we should, at all times, try to save a law before ruling it void.  In interpreting the Constitution, we must remember that its provisions are worded expansively at times and narrowly in others.  Moreover, the breadth of some clauses are shurnk greatly by others.  In interpreting a statute, I look to the text first and the opinions of those who wrote the text, second, if at all.  Our Constitution is based on Anglo-Saxon law and the American Constitution, but it is not the American Constitution.  Those places that differ cannot be simply ignored, or written out, in my view.

3) If the Court has one purpose that I find it important to promote, save interpreting the Constitution and law of Atlasia, it is to bring about better law-writing in the Senate.  Words mean things.

4) Most might not believe this, but in every case we have heard, I have not made a decision as to the outcome before hearing the arguments.  During deliberation, I have, at least a couple of times, changed my mind as to the result, based on a closer reading of the issue in question.  In short, I do not decide quickly.  Some have found that to be a fault in the past, but I can guarantee you, I won't change in that regard.

[Franzl]

I fully support SamSpade for Chief Justice.

[tmthforu94]

Like Franzl, I support Sam Spade for Chief Justice, and I'm confident he'll do a great job.

[Franzl]

A final vote will be held at noon Eastern time if no other senators have any questions.

[Franzl]

I hereby open the final vote on Sam Spade for Chief Justice.

Please vote AYE, NAY, or ABSTAIN.

[Franzl]

AYE

[Hans-im-Glück]

AYE

[Hash]

Aye

[Marokai Backbeat]

Aye

[tmthforu94]

Aye

[MaxQue]

Aye

[Franzl]

Sam Spade is confirmed as Chief Justice.

[Sam Spade]

Thank you for your support, gentlemen.

[Fritz]

Aye ftr

[afleitch]

Aye ftr

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Aye ftr