The Supreme Court on Monday denied a petition aimed at forcing the U.S. Senate to hold a confirmation hearing on Judge Merrick Garland's nomination to be the next Supreme Court justice.

Daniel Rubin, a lawyer in New Mexico, filed the petition in an effort to get the court to order Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley to hold hearings for President Obama's pick to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia. The petition was seen as a long-shot bid to force Senate Republicans to act on a nominee they don't want to confirm, but the court's denial effectively killed the idea.

Republicans have said they want the next president to pick a Supreme Court nominee, although many have speculated that if Hillary Clinton defeats Donald Trump, the GOP might reconsider Garland in the lame duck session of Congress.