Who can be a Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States? According to the Constitution -- it can pretty much be anyone as there are no age or citizenship requirements to pass.
Of course, in reality, the nominees the Senate tends to confirm are individuals with a legal background and graduated from the top schools. Connections and politics obviously play huge roles in the selection process.
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Still, it is fun to ruminate on what qualities we want in a Justice. After all, we don't want really want them to be judges, we want them to be heroes, individuals who use their brilliant capabilities to defend the rights of the people.
Each of the following characters is amazing in their respective fields. Some have legal backgrounds. Others have common sense. All of them would bring something unique and vital to the Court for the benefit of all.
1. Marshall - How I Met Your Mother
Most lawyers get disillusioned with the law and quit -- not Marshall. Seeing a pharmaceutical company get a slap on the wrist only made him more determined to use his legal prowess for good and started him on the path to becoming a judge. His intelligence, optimism and good humor make him a perfect match for the judiciary branch. Forget Judge Fudge or Fudge Supreme, Chief Justice Fudge of the Supreme Court would be just desserts -- Marshall approves this pun -- for everyone.
2. Charley Bordelon - Queen Sugar
Charley Bordelon thought she had the perfect life until it imploded. Now she fights for her home and for her community. Her investigative and negotiation skills stopped the construction of a for-profit prison and saved countless farms. Imagine what she could accomplish on the national level.
3. Michael Flaherty - Spin City
Sadly, a Supreme Court Justice is just as much of a politician as any member of Congress. Fortunately, there's Michael Flaherty, who definitely knows the score when it comes politics. Even better, he's the rare individual who loves the game, is great at the game, and actually plays the game in order to help people.
4. Cmdr. Kelly Grayson - The Orville
Supreme Court Justices are constantly balancing competing interests. Cmdr. Kelly Grayson is no stranger to the balancing act. She knows when to be tough and when to be compassionate. She honors the rights of the individual but also knows when to the put others before herself.
5. Jerry Seinfeld - Seinfeld
Most court cases aren't about defending your liberties or grandstanding for your principles. Instead, most court cases, even or perhaps especially at the Supreme Court level, are about the minor quibbles: was the filing deadline met, were the right boxes on the form checked, is this case even in the correct courtroom. It all comes down to minutiae, and there is no one better at analyzing and questioning of the minutiae of all things than Jerry Seinfeld.
6. Ellie Torres - Cougar Town
The U.S. legal system is built upon precedent, but just because something is precedent doesn't make it immune to being nonsensical, outdated or wrong. Supreme Court Justices need the conviction to overrule past decisions. For this, there is no one more qualified than Ellie "Change Approved" Torres. Thanks to her rational decisionmaking the term "cakewalk" now rightly means something really difficult to do and "sleeping like a baby" means you get no sleep at all.
