After waiting 10 months for a hearing on his Supreme Court nomination, Merrick Garland seems to be giving up hope. BuzzFeed News reported Monday that Garland plans to head back to his old job in January, and resume hearing cases at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
Garland has been on hiatus from his role as chief judge of the D.C. Circuit since President Obama nominated him in March to fill the late Justice Antonin Scalia's seat. BuzzFeed noted it was "up to [Garland] to decide when to start hearing cases again," indicating he "understands that his Supreme Court nomination fight is over." At the White House's annual Hanukkah reception on Dec. 14, Obama essentially admitted the same thing by saying Garland would "continue to serve our country with distinction as the chief judge on the D.C. Circuit."
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