Robert Bork was an American legal scholar and judge, best known for his role as a nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1987. His nomination was highly controversial and ultimately rejected by the Senate, marking a significant moment in the history of judicial appointments in the United States. Bork served as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 1982 until 1988. He was influential in shaping conservative legal thought and authored several important works on law and constitutional interpretation, including his book, "The Tempting of America."