POTENTIAL NOMINEE: DIANE WOOD

Judge Diane Wood is one of the names being mentioned as President Obama's likely Supreme Court nominee. A nomination has become necessary due to the pending retirement of Justice Stevens. Wood was previously suggested as a possible replacement to Justice Souter. Souter, instead, was replaced with Justice Sotomayer.

Wood graduated from the University of Texas School of Law in 1975. She clerked for former Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun. She has taught at both Georgetown and the University of Chicago Law School. She also worked in government positions is both Democratic and and Republican administrations.

Appointed to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in 1995, Wood was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate. As an appellate Judge, her voting record has supported decisions which restricted abortion protesters. She has also upheld a broad reading of the power bestowed upon Congress by the commerce clause of the United States Constitution.