Judge Neil Gorsuch has been confirmed to the US Supreme Court serving Donald Trump the biggest win of his presidency to date.

The Denver appeals court justice restores a conservative majority on the bench that could last for decades.

Justices on the country’s highest judicial body are appointed for life, although they can retire or resign.

Congratulations to an exceptionally qualified and respected judge on his confirmation to the Supreme Court! #SCOTUS https://t.co/itTom467MT— President Trump (@POTUS) April 7, 2017

Gorsuch, 49, won by a Senate vote of 54 to 45, with support from the Republicans, but also three Democrats.

It ends a 14-month dispute over the post, following the sudden death of Justice Antonin Scalia in February, 2016.

Senate Republicans refused to consider the then-President Barack Obama’s nominee, Judge Merrick Garland.

Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic Leader, called for Gorsuch to be independent, after several Democrats linked him to Trump, the president who nominated him.

“I hope Judge Gorsuch has listened to our debate here in the Senate, particularly about our concerns about the Supreme Court increasingly drifting towards becoming a more pro-corporate court that favors employers, corporations, and special interests over working America,” said Schumer.

The process of filling the position has been controversial from the start. This week, Republicans triggered the so-called nuclear option, changing the number of votes needed for confirmation from 60 to 51.