U.S. Senate Confirms Cook Appointment
The U.S. Senate confirmed Ohio Supreme Court Justice Deborah Cook Monday for the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The U.S. Appeals Court is one step below the U.S. Supreme Court and decides much of the nation's law.
President Bush nominated her for the federal bench nearly two years ago but her vote has been held up by partisan battles.
Cook was confirmed quickly by the Senate on a 66-to-25 vote for the Sixth Circuit, the Cincinnati-based court that handles appeals from Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Michigan.
Cook's appointment creates an opening on the seven-member Ohio Supreme Court that Governor Taft must fill. The 51-year-old Cook, of Akron, was two years into her second six-year term.
Taft actively pushed for Cook's nomination to the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. In November, he said he would replace her with someone sharing her judicial approach.
"I would want to appoint to the court someone like Justice Cook who believes in interpreting the law, who believes in judicial restraint," Taft said Thursday, Nov. 7.
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Among the leading candidates being considered by Gov. Bob Taft are Guy L. Reece, director of the Franklin County Board of Elections, appeals court Judges William G. Batchelder of Medina and Stephen Powell of Cincinnati, and former appeals court Judge Terrence O'Donnell of Cleveland.
Also in the running is Judge James E. Green of Franklin County Municipal Court. Appointed in December 1994 by former Gov. George V. Voinovich, Green was elected in 1995 and 2001.
Republicans will maintain their 5-2 control of the Supreme Court. However, the court has been marked by a fragile and often nonpartisan ideological split on critical issues.
Cook was widely regarded as the court's leading advocate of strict construction -- interpreting the law and constitution very narrowly. She was the only justice on the losing side in all four of the court's school-funding decisions since 1997.
Taft could name Cook's successor by early next week.
Click here to read the entire story from the Columbus Dispatch (subscription site - paid access only).
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