Students of the federal judiciary have devoted considerable attention to the process of selecting individuals for the United States Supreme Court. Much of this research has examined the factors motivating a President to elevate a particular person to the Court from among all other individuals available. The present study analyzes the impact of presidential motivations on the quality of judge selected. By searching biographical and historical records, the reasons prompting presidential nominations were compiled for all of the members of the Supreme Court from John Jay through Thurgood Marshall. These motivating factors fell into three categories: Traditional Criteria, Political Criteria, and Professional Qualifications Criteria. These selection variables were then analyzed in relation to the justices' subsequent performances on the Court (based upon the Blaustein/Mersky Supreme Court performance ratings). This analysis allowed us to evaluate the relative impact of various presidential motivations on the quality of judicial performance.