Merrick B. Garland

Merrick Garland currently serves as the United States Attorney General, a position he assumed in 2021 under President Joe Biden. He was confirmed by the Senate to lead the Department of Justice. Prior to this role, he spent decades as a federal judge.

President Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court in 2016 following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. However, the Republican-controlled Senate refused to hold hearings or vote on his nomination. The seat was eventually filled by Neil Gorsuch under President Donald Trump.

Before becoming Attorney General, Garland served as a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He was appointed to this court in 1997 and later served as its Chief Judge. The D.C. Circuit is widely considered the second most important court in the country.

Merrick Garland served as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit for nearly 24 years. He was confirmed in 1997 and remained on the bench until he resigned to become Attorney General in 2021. He took senior status briefly before stepping down completely for his new role.