Andrew Cohen: Harpers Magazine-Style Index on SCOTUS Nominations

Year Senate floor debate on a Supreme Court nomination first opened to public: 1929

Number of nominees who appeared before Senate Judiciary Committee before 1925: 0 (Harlan Fiske Stone was the first)

Number of nominees refused permission to speak before the committee: 1 (John Parker, 1930, later rejected)

Average time between nomination and Senate action on nominees in 19th century: 1 week

Average time between nomination and Senate action on nominees in last third of 20th century: 9 weeks