Given the present focus on police brutality, defendant rights, and mass incarceration, the Garland pick is definitely controversial among progressives, but (1) he’s still going to swing the court to the left especially since he’s replacing Scalia and (2) it’s unlikely that Senate will confirm him anyway.

Is Merrick Garland more conservative than Antonin Scalia on criminal justice issues? • 2016 Mar 17 • German Lopez • Vox

Merrick Garland’s probably doomed, strategically interesting nomination, explained • 2016 Mar 16 • Dylan Matthews • Vox