As current Superior Court President Judge James T. Vaughn Jr. awaits a confirmation hearing to become the state’s next Supreme Court justice, Delaware legal sources are already discussing his potential replacement. Sources have stressed it is still very early in the process, but have already labeled Superior Court Judges Jan R. Jurden and William C. Carpenter Jr. as the front-runners to succeed Vaughn as president judge.
Gov. Jack Markell nominated Vaughn on Sept. 23 to replace former Justice Carolyn Berger, who retired last month. Vaughn’s confirmation hearing is scheduled for Oct. 8 and he is expected to sail through it with no opposition from state senators. With Vaughn’s position on the Supreme Court locked up, legal analysts are already attempting to identify the next leader of the Superior Court.
