Following a filibuster by the Demorats and the subsequent enabling of the “nuclear option” by the GOP on Thursday, Judge Neil Gorsuch was confirmed as the newest associate justice to the US Supreme Court on Friday, by a Senate vote of 54 to 45.

The installation of Neil Gorsuch removes the confusion experienced by SCOTUS and the confounding issue of cases being returned to their originating DCAs. That is to say, if, during an opinion, SCOTUS had a 4-to-4 tie, the opinion of the lower court held.

This now at least gives the court the ability to reach majority decisions of 4/5, 5/4, a highly important difference.

Judge Gorsuch will be officially sworn in on Monday, April 10th.

BZ