The confirmation hearings of Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Trump’s nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, began on October 12th before the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Judge Barrett was previously nominated by President Trump to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and confirmed in that position by the Senate three years ago. During her tenure on that court, she has participated in deciding over 900 cases. A 65-page questionnaire completed by the nominee, outlining the details of her academic and legal career, published writings, and more, has been released by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Asked to choose her ten “most significant cases,” Judge Barrett listed her dissent in a Second Amendment case,  Kanter v. Barr (7th Cir. 2019), as her most important ruling. Her choice is a telling one, as the other cases on her top-ten list cover critical issues like  qualified immunity, employment disability and hostile work environment claims, and the interpretation of federal immigration laws. A review of her dissent in the Kanter case reveals both a thoughtful and considered approach to Second Amendment jurisprudence and a respect for the right to keep and bear arms.  [full article]