On Wednesday, March 16, President Obama nominated Judge Merrick Garland to fill the vacant seat in the Supreme Court formerly occupied by the late Antonin Scalia – so who is this possible Supreme Court Justice?

After growing up in Illinois, Merrick Garland earned a scholarship to Harvard University and put himself through law school by working as a tutor, stocking shoes, and selling his own comic book collection.

He married his fellow Harvard University colleague, Lynn, and had two daughters, Rebecca and Jessica, who both attended Yale University.

From Garland’s work in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit of the United States Supreme Court, concerned citizens can conclude that Judge Garland has had a long record on the bench. With more judicial experience than any nominee since the 1900s, his selection puts a dent in the stereotype that presidents favor younger nominees.

Garland stands by the constitution and laws—not politics, religion, and ethnicity, to make judicial decisions. Garland always figures out how to quickly prosecute the case and honor victims, while giving each defendant a fair trial.

He is said to be a “moderate liberal, with a definite pro-prosecution bent in criminal cases.”