▁were ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁liberal ▁wing ▁of ▁the ▁Court ▁and ▁Kennedy ▁was ▁a ▁swing ▁vote ▁who ▁often ▁aligned ▁with ▁them ▁on ▁social ▁issues , ▁many ▁top ▁political ▁anal yst s ▁saw ▁Trump ' s ▁term ▁as ▁a ▁chance ▁for ▁Republic ans ▁to ▁res hape ▁the ▁court ▁significantly ▁towards ▁a ▁more ▁conserv ative ▁vision ▁of ▁the ▁law . ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁this ▁became ▁a ▁real ▁possibility ▁when ▁Justice ▁Kennedy ▁officially ▁announced ▁his ▁ret irement . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁confirm ation ▁of ▁Bre tt ▁K avan augh ▁on ▁October ▁ 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁is ▁currently ▁composed ▁of ▁the ▁following ▁nine ▁just ices : ▁ ▁Nom ination ▁of ▁Neil ▁G ors uch ▁ ▁On ▁February ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Associ ate ▁Justice ▁Anton in ▁S cal ia ▁was ▁found ▁dead ▁while ▁vac ation ing ▁at ▁C ib olo ▁Creek ▁R anch ▁near ▁Mar fa , ▁Texas . ▁S cal ia ' s ▁death ▁marked ▁just ▁the ▁second ▁time ▁in ▁ 6 0 ▁years ▁that ▁a ▁sitting ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁justice ▁died . ▁ ▁It ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁rare ▁but ▁not ▁un pre ced ented ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁nom ination ▁during ▁the ▁last ▁year ▁of ▁a ▁presiden cy . ▁ ▁Mitch ▁Mc Con nell , ▁the ▁Senate ▁majority ▁leader , ▁stated ▁the ▁new ▁president ▁should ▁replace ▁S cal ia , ▁while ▁President ▁Ob ama ▁stated ▁that ▁he ▁planned ▁to ▁nomin ate ▁someone ▁to ▁replace ▁S cal