WATCH: Hearings begin for Biden's Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson

Campus Reform Reporter Alexa Schwerha sat down with Cato Institute Research Fellow Thomas Berry to discuss what can be expected from President Biden’s Supreme Court Nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Jackson’s confirmation hearing is expected to begin on March 21. If appointed, she will fill the seat of Justice Stephen Breyer, who announced his retirement in January.

Breyer will continue his role through the end of June.

Her appointment would also make history by becoming the first Black woman to sit on the high court. Additionally, Jackson’s appointment may shift the balance on the Supreme Court. 

Berry told Campus Reform that Jackson’s appointment will likely be “contentious.”

”Most Republicans are going to go in very skeptical,” he noted. “They’re going to be bringing up some of her decisions that went against the Trump administration and they’re going to try to paint her as, essentially, partisan rather than non-biased.” 

Berry acknowledged that even with the partisan divide, Jackson is expected to keep the support of Republican Senators Susan Collins (ME), Lisa Murkowski (AK), and Lindsey Graham (SC).

Should she be confirmed, Jackson’s appointment will place her on the bench for the 2022-2023 term, which will begin in October. 

”The big cases that are pending now, like the Dobbs [v.] Mississippi abortion case, those are still going to be decided by Justice Breyer. But there are some big cases on the horizon for the following term, starting in October that, if Judge Jackson were confirmed, she would be deciding instead of Justice Breyer,” he explained.

Such cases may include challenges to affirmative action being presented against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, which was previously reported on by Campus Reform.

Jackson currently serves on the Harvard Board of Overseers in addition to being an alumna, Berry states. Previously, she has recused herself from cases involving the university due to a potential conflict of interest.

”So a big question mark is whether, if she is confirmed, will she also recuse from this affirmative action case?” Berry asked.

Watch the full interview above.

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