The American Bar Association rated Judge Neil Gorsuch "well-qualified" to serve on the Supreme Court.

ABA standing committee chairwoman Nancy Scott Degan wrote a letter Thursday to the Senate Judiciary Committee's leadership reporting the results of the ABA's review.

"As you know, the [ABA standing] committee confines its evaluation to the qualities of integrity, professional competence and judicial demeanor," Degan wrote. "After an exhaustive evaluation process, the committee has determined by unanimous vote that Judge Gorsuch is "Well-Qualified" for the position of associate justice of the Supreme Court."

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley issued a statement saying the ABA's decision came as no shock, given the judge's record.

"The ABA's ringing endorsement is no surprise given Judge Gorsuch's sterling credentials and his distinguished decade-long record on the 10th Circuit," Grassley wrote. "Former Chairman [Pat] Leahy and Minority Leader [Chuck] Schumer have called the ABA's assessment the 'gold standard' in evaluating federal judicial nominations. In light of Judge Gorsuch's impeccable record, it's hard to imagine any other result from the ABA's consideration."

Hearings on Gorsuch's Supreme Court nomination begin in the Senate on March 20.