Among Pres. Trump’s recent nominations for a judgeship is Brett Talley, Harvard graduate, and conservative blogger. He is rated as “not qualified” by the American Bar Association standing committee on judicial nominations. The committee’s vote to rate him not qualified was unanimous. He is also a paranormal investigator, a ghost hunter. He is young for a judge at 36 years old. He has only practiced law for three years. He has never appeared in court for trial. See BBC news report. He has never tried a case. If he is confirmed, as seems likely, he will go from being an intern to performing brain surgery.

Mr. Talley is a member of the Tuscaloosa Paranormal Research Group. That apparently means he and others will go sit in spooky houses all night and observe activity. They apparently seek rational explanations for strange events. So, we can expect they apply some science to things that go bump in the night.

Still, I do not know whether to laugh or to cry. A judge who has never tried a case, but who has searched extensively for ghosts. Is a law degree necessary anymore? Is Jethro Bodine available? After all, Jethro “done gradee-ated” from 6th grade and moved to Beverly Hills with his Uncle Jed Clampett.