The political maneuvering leading up to this week’s nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court could set a precedent — possibly a dangerous one, according to legal experts versed in the process.

“We’re seeing norms, informal practices, being shaped on how the vetting process should be handled in the future,” University of North Carolina constitutional law professor Michael Gerhardt said during a panel discussion Wednesday about Supreme Court nominations and confirmations.