For now, Judge Merrick Garland is in limbo. That is, if heaven is serving on the Supreme Court and waiting in limbo involves a bunch of paperwork.

Each morning, Garland does what he’s always done: he goes to work. That’s not so unusual. But these days, when he leaves his quiet Bethesda, Maryland, neighborhood, he’s riding in an SUV with federal agents.

He’s served as a judge in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit since 1997, and as its chief judge since 2013. Some have dubbed the court the second most important in the country, next to the Supreme Court.

But ever since President Barack Obama nominated him to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia, Garland hasn’t been wielding a gavel in the courtroom — Supreme Court nominees often don’t hear cases while they’re awaiting confirmation. For seven months now, Garland has focused on administrative duties such as overseeing the court’s budget and preparing for a Senate hearing on his nomination that may not happen.

In the meantime, he has set a new record. Over the summer, he made history as the Supreme Court nominee with the longest wait for a confirmation hearing. And the clock is still ticking.