The Donald Trump catalog of legal battles continues to occupy both column inches and file rooms, but the Trump ballot case has created issues at the pointy end of the Trump tableau of troubles.
But who are the lawyers involved in that constitutional battle before the US Supreme Court?
The New York Times looked at the different
Title: Insight into the Legal Minds: Advocates in the Trump Ballot Case, which provided a showdown involving two former law clerks with different ideologies.
Adding to the legal tableau, Colorado’s solicitor general, Shannon Stevenson, will also present arguments.
Jonathan Mitchell: Championing Trump’s Cause
Leading the charge for Trump is Jonathan F. Mitchell, a 47-year-old legal luminary renowned for crafting anti-abortion legislation that played a pivotal role in the Supreme Court’s decision to revoke the constitutional right to the procedure.
Mitchell was the architect behind Senate Bill 8, a Texas law that imposed a near-total ban on abortion a restrictive Texas abortion law that preceded the court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade and spawned similar legislation in other states.
A graduate of the University of Chicago’s law school, Jonathan Mitchell embarked on his legal career by clerking for J. Michael Luttig, a prominent conservative voice.
His subsequent clerkship at the Supreme Court with Justice Antonin Scalia solidified his legal acumen. It’s worth mentioning that Judge Luttig, now retired, has openly opposed Trump’s stance in the ongoing case.
Mitchell served as Texas solicitor general from 2010 to 2015 before establishing his law firm in Austin, Texas, in 2018.
His legal legacy is marked by extensive work on anti-abortion legislation, notably the Texas Heartbeat Act enacted in 2021. Mitchell, a seasoned advocate with five Supreme Court appearances, is poised to argue another case this term, representing a Texas guns rights activist challenging a Trump-era ban on bump stocks.
He has described his legal objective as being to remove the notion that the Supreme Court is the ultimate interpreter of the Constitution, a belief known as “judicial supremacy.”
Jason Murray: Advocating for Colorado Voters
On the opposing front, Jason Murray, 38, represents the Colorado voters who successfully challenged Trump’s inclusion on the state’s primary ballot. Although this marks Murray’s inaugural appearance before the Supreme Court, his clerkship under Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, coupled with over a decade of trial lawyer experience, positions him as a formidable opponent.
A Harvard graduate and litigation partner with boutique Chicago and Denver law firm Bartlit Beck LLP and comes with high academic and litigation credentials that make him a more than worthy opponent to the conservative opposition.
Shannon Stevenson: Colorado’s Legal Voice
Colorado’s solicitor general, Shannon Stevenson, aged 48, will advocate for Colorado’s secretary of state, Jena Griswold.
Stevenson became the state Solicitor General early last year and has been granted time to argue for the State. Her extensive background includes more than two decades in private practice, with over 70 cases briefed and argued before state and federal appeals courts in the West.
As the legal drama unfolds, the nation watches; anticipating the outcome of this landmark case that not only impacts Trump’s political fate but also delves into the intricate dynamics of constitutional interpretation.
