The Supreme Court has sometimes been criticized for being too political. When then- President Barak Obama nominated Merrick Garland, in March 2016, the Senate refused to hold a hearing or vote on his nomination, and it expired on January 3, 2017, leaving the newly elected president, Donald Trump, to nominate a new candidate. Does this have an effect on how people view the legitimacy of the decisions of the Justices? Can you think of alternative criteria for selecting Justices other than nomination by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate? What are the pros and cons of each alternative?