In the twentieth century, only four nominees to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States have been rejected; all were the nominees of a Republican president and three of the four were rejected by Democrats, who controlled the United States Senate. John J. Parker, was the first nominee to be rejected by the U. S. Senate in a span of 72 years. Parker was also the only one of four nominees to be rejected by a Senate controlled by his own political party. Parker’s nomination was the beginning of the modern conformation process for future nominees to serve on the U. S. Supreme Court.