Legal Beat

While Judiciary Committee chairman Patrick Leahy said he'd schedule a vote by the panel for July 21, the committee's rules say any member can request a delay of a week, and GOP Sen. Jeff Sessions said that would be the case.

"I think it is unrealistic," Sessions said of a July 21 date following the end of Sotomayor's testimony. He said there "will be a number of questions submitted to the nominee that take some time." That means the vote will be on July 28.