A blue slip is the traditional method of allowing the home state senators of a judicial nominee to express their approval or disapproval. Blue slips are generally given substantial weight by the Judiciary Committee in its consideration of a judicial nominee. The process dates back several decades and is grounded in the tradition of "senatorial courtesy," which traces its roots back to the presidency of George Washington.
Nominee |
Senator |
Senator's Reply |
Senator |
Senator's Reply |
Nomination Date |
Northern District of Alabama |
Coogler |
Shelby |
Positive
4/4/03 |
Sessions |
Positive 4/24/03 |
3/27/03 |
Proctor |
Shelby |
Positive 5/19/03 |
Sessions |
Positive 5/22/03 |
5/1/03 |
Hopkins |
Shelby |
Positive 10/21/03 |
Sessions |
Positive 11/4/03 |
10/14/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Southern District of Alabama |
Steele |
Shelby |
Positive
3/5/03 |
Sessions |
Positive
3/5/03 |
1/7/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
District of Arizona |
Wake |
McCain |
Positive 10/29/03 |
Kyl |
Positive 10/30/03 |
10/22/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eastern District of Arkansas |
Holmes |
Lincoln |
Positive 3/11/03 |
Pryor |
Positive
3/6/03 |
1/29/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
District of Arizona |
Campbell |
McCain |
Positive 3/20/03 |
Kyl |
Positive
4/3/03 |
3/13/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Central District of California |
Otero |
Feinstein |
|
Boxer |
|
1/7/03 |
Carney |
Feinstein |
Positive
3/6/03 |
Boxer |
Positive
3/6/03 |
1/7/03 |
Selna |
Feinstein |
Positive
3/3/03 |
Boxer |
Positive 2/27/03 |
1/29/03 |
Fischer |
Feinstein |
Positive 6/17/03 |
Boxer |
Positive 5/13/03 |
5/1/03 |
Schiavelli |
Feinstein |
Positive 3/11/04 |
Boxer |
|
1/20/04 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Southern District of California |
Benitez |
Feinstein |
Positive 6/4/03 |
Boxer |
Positive 5/23/03 |
5/1/03 |
Burns |
Feinstein |
Positive 5/21/03 |
Boxer |
Positive 5/19/03 |
5/1/03 |
Hayes |
Feinstein |
Positive 6/17/03 |
Boxer |
Positive 5/19/03 |
5/1/03 |
Houston |
Feinstein |
Positive 6/4/03 |
Boxer |
Positive 5/30/03 |
5/1/03 |
Sabraw |
Feinstein |
Positive 6/17/03 |
Boxer |
Positive 5/13/03 |
5/1/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
District of Colorado |
Figa |
Campbell |
Positive 6/20/03 |
Allard |
Positive 6/18/03 |
6/9/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
District of Connecticut |
Kravitz |
Dodd |
Positive 5/5/03 |
Lieberman |
Positive 4/29/03 |
3/27/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Northern District of Florida |
Rodgers |
Graham |
|
Nelson |
|
7/14/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Southern District of Florida |
Altonaga |
Graham |
Positive 3/11/03 |
Nelson |
Positive 3/13/03 |
1/15/03 |
Cohn |
Graham |
Positive 5/15/03 |
Nelson |
Positive 6/23/03 |
5/1/03 |
Cook |
Graham |
Positive 3/1/04 |
Nelson |
|
11/25/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Northern District of Georgia |
Duffey |
Miller |
Positive 11/21/2003 |
Chambliss |
Positive 11/20/03 |
11/5/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
District of Hawaii |
Rohlfing |
Inouye |
|
Akaka |
|
1/7/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Northern District of Illinois |
Der-Yeghiayan |
Durbin |
Positive 6/10/03 |
Fitzgerald |
Positive 3/13/03 |
3/11/03 |
Filip |
Durbin |
Positive 10/17/03 |
Fitzgerald |
Positive 6/6/03 |
4/28/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Northern District of Indiana |
Simon |
Lugar |
|
Bayh |
|
1/29/03 |
Springmann |
Lugar |
Positive 2/26/03 |
Bayh |
|
1/29/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Western District of Louisiana |
Hicks |
Breaux |
Positive 4/10/03 |
Landrieu |
Positive 3/10/03 |
1/7/03 |
Drell |
Breaux |
Positive 2/26/03 |
Landrieu |
Positive 3/10/03 |
1/15/03 |
Minaldi |
Breaux |
Positive 2/26/03 |
Landrieu |
Positive 3/10/03 |
1/15/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
District of Maine |
Woodcock |
Snowe |
Positive 4/10/03 |
Collins |
|
3/27/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
District of Maryland |
Quarles |
Mikulski |
|
Sarbanes |
|
1/7/03 |
Bennett |
Mikulski |
|
Sarbanes |
|
1/29/03 |
Titus |
Mikulski |
|
Sarbanes |
|
6/18/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
District of Massachusetts |
Saylor |
Kennedy |
Positive 10/22/03 |
Kerry |
Positive 10/23/03 |
7/30/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eastern District of Michigan |
Ludington |
Levin |
Negative 3/19/03 |
Stabenow |
Negative 3/19/03 |
1/7/03 |
Ryan |
Levin |
|
Stabenow |
Negative 5/19/03 |
4/28/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Southern District of Mississippi |
Guirola |
Lott |
Positive 10/14/03 |
Cochran |
Positive 10/3/03 |
9/23/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
District of Nevada |
Jones |
Reid |
Positive 7/18/03 |
Ensign |
Positive 7/16/03 |
6/9/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
District of New Mexico |
Browning |
Domenici |
|
Bingaman |
Positive 5/27/03 |
4/28/03 |
Brack |
Domenici |
Positive 5/15/03 |
Bingaman |
Positive 5/27/03 |
4/28/03 |
Herrera |
Domenici |
Positive 10/2/03 |
Bingaman |
Positive 10/9/03 |
9/23/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eastern District of New York |
Feuerstein |
Schumer |
Positive 7/16/03 |
Clinton |
Positive 7/21/03 |
1/7/03 |
Irizarry |
Schumer |
|
Clinton |
|
4/28/03 |
Townes |
Schumer |
Positive 10/24/03 |
Clinton |
Positive 11/6/03 |
8/5/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Northern District of New York |
Sharpe |
Schumer |
|
Clinton |
Positive 9/22/03 |
4/28/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Southern District of New York |
Holwell |
Schumer |
Positive 7/16/03 |
Clinton |
Positive 7/21/03 |
1/7/03 |
Castel |
Schumer |
Positive 5/6/03 |
Clinton |
|
3/7/03 |
Robinson |
Schumer |
Positive 5/6/03 |
Clinton |
|
3/7/03 |
Robinson |
Schumer |
Positive 11/19/03 |
Clinton |
Positive 11/19/03 |
9/18/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eastern District of North Carolina |
Dever |
Edwards |
|
Dole |
Positive 3/12/03 |
1/7/03 |
Flanagan |
Edwards |
Positive 5/16/03 |
Dole |
Positive 5/5/03 |
1/29/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Western District of North Carolina |
Conrad |
Edwards |
|
Dole |
Positive 5/15/03 |
4/28/03 |
McKnight |
Edwards |
Positive 5/16/03 |
Dole |
Positive 5/15/03 |
4/28/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
District of North Dakota |
Erickson |
Dorgan |
|
Conrad |
|
1/7/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Northern District of Ohio |
Adams |
DeWine |
|
Voinovich |
|
1/7/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Southern District of Ohio |
Frost |
DeWine |
|
Voinovich |
|
1/7/03 |
Watson |
DeWine |
Positive 4/20/04 |
Voinovich |
Positive 4/20/04 |
4/7/04 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eastern District of Oklahoma |
White |
Nickles |
Positive 6/3/03 |
Inhofe |
Positive 6/3/03 |
5/15/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
District of Oregon |
Mosman |
Wyden |
Positive 7/17/03 |
Smith |
Positive 5/27/03 |
5/12/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eastern District of Pennsylvania |
Pratter |
Specter |
Positive 11/12/03 |
Santorum |
Positive 11/12/03 |
11/3/03 |
Stengel |
Specter |
Positive 11/20/03 |
Santorum |
Positive 11/18/03 |
11/7/03 |
Sanchez |
Specter |
Positive 12/9/03 |
Santorum |
Positive 12/8/03 |
11/25/03 |
Diamond |
Specter |
Positive 1/29/04 |
Santorum |
Positive 3/4/04 |
1/20/04 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Western District of Pennsylvania |
Hardiman |
Specter |
Positive 4/18/03 |
Santorum |
Positive 4/23/03 |
4/9/03 |
Gibson |
Specter |
Positive 5/15/03 |
Santorum |
Positive 5/19/03 |
4/28/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
District of South Carolina |
Floyd |
Hollings |
Positive 6/10/03 |
Graham |
Positive 6/6/03 |
5/15/03 |
Harwell |
Hollings |
Positive 3/24/04 |
Graham |
Positive 2/23/04 |
1/20/04 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eastern District of Tennessee |
Varlan |
Frist |
Positive
3/6/03 |
Alexander |
Positive
3/5/03 |
1/7/03 |
Greer |
Frist |
Positive 4/28/03 |
Alexander |
Positive 4/15/03 |
4/9/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Western District of Tennessee |
Breen |
Frist |
Positive
3/6/03 |
Alexander |
Positive
3/5/03 |
1/7/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Northern District of Texas |
Boyle |
Hutchison |
Positive 12/9/03 |
Cornyn |
Positive 12/12/03 |
11/24/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Western District of Texas |
Junell |
Hutchison |
|
Cornyn |
|
1/7/03 |
Cardone |
Hutchison |
Positive 5/19/03 |
Cornyn |
Positive 5/19/03 |
5/1/03 |
Crone |
Hutchison |
Positive 5/19/03 |
Cornyn |
Positive 5/23/03 |
5/1/03 |
Montalvo |
Hutchison |
Positive 5/19/03 |
Cornyn |
Positive 5/15/03 |
5/1/03 |
Rodriguez |
Hutchison |
Positive 5/19/03 |
Cornyn |
Positive 5/15/03 |
5/1/03 |
Yeakel |
Hutchison |
Positive 5/19/03 |
Cornyn |
Positive 5/15/03 |
5/1/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eastern District of Virginia |
Kelley |
Warner |
Positive 1/12/04 |
Allen |
Positive 1/13/04 |
10/31/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Western District of Virginia |
Conrad |
Warner |
Positive 5/19/03 |
Allen |
Positive 5/16/03 |
4/28/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Eastern District of Washington |
Suko |
Murray |
Positive 5/22/03 |
Cantwell |
Positive 5/22/03 |
4/28/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Western District of Washington |
Martinez |
Murray |
Positive 11/3/03 |
Cantwell |
Positive 11/4/03 |
10/14/03 |
Robart |
Murray |
Positive 1/8/04 |
Cantwell |
Positive 1/28/04 |
12/9/03 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
