US Supreme Court justices

A look at the length of time taken to confirm each judge currently on the court

to anti-discrimination laws. When asked about his views on gay rights during his confirmation hearing, Kavanaugh quoted Justice Anthony Kennedy’s ruling in that case, in which Kennedy reaffirmed his longstanding support for gay rights.

Kavanaugh declined to discuss his own views on the subject, though.

Trump’s bid to restrict the military service of transgender people has been challenged in lower courts and is another issue that could make its way to the Supreme Court.

Immigration

On immigration, litigation is continuing over Trump’s plan to rescind a programme created under Democratic former president Barack Obama that protected from deportation hundreds of thousands of young immigrants brought to the US illegally as children.

Lower courts blocked Trump’s plan to scrap the programme, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca).

Congress has failed to agree on a plan to replace

Partisan gerrymandering

Kavanaugh could also have to deal with cases involving a practice called partisan gerrymandering in which state legislators redraw electoral maps to try to cement their own party in power. In June, the justices avoided a broad ruling on whether the practice violates the constitutional rights of voters and whether federal judges can intervene to rectify it.

Democrats have said Republican gerrymandering has helped Trump’s party keep control of the US House of Representatives and various state legislatures.