The Leadership Conference Celebrates Anniversary of Justice Jackson’s Historic Nomination

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rachel Hooper, [email protected]

WASHINGTON — Lena Zwarensteyn, senior director of the fair courts program at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, released the following statement ahead of the anniversary of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court on February 25:

“Thanks to this administration and Senate majority, our federal courts look more like America and include more judges who are committed to equal justice. This weekend, we celebrate the one-year anniversary of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination. The significant progress we have made to bring fairness to our judiciary is powerfully exemplified by President Biden’s historic nomination of Justice Jackson — the first Black woman and first former public defender to be nominated and confirmed to serve on our nation’s highest court. Her appointment embodies our demands to strengthen the federal judiciary with incredible judges and justices who possess a demonstrated commitment to civil and human rights and who bring with them previously excluded professional and personal diversity. During her first term, Justice Jackson has already shown the importance of her confirmation — and we continue to celebrate her historic ascension to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“The civil rights community has long understood that each confirmation of a judicial nominee who is dedicated to equal justice makes a difference — not only in the lives of people who appear in that judge’s courtroom, but also for our democracy and the rights of all of us who are impacted by their decisions. The Biden administration, Leader Schumer, and Chair Durbin have shown critically important leadership in the work to build an equal justice judiciary, and we urge them to make this an enduring priority as they fill all vacancies on all of our federal courts during the 118th Congress and beyond. Our communities depend on federal courts and judges to fairly administer justice — and we must do everything to ensure that they do.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights today also released “Persevere: Our Ongoing Fight for an Equal Justice Judiciary,” a report detailing progress by the Biden administration and the Senate during the 117th Congress to nominate and confirm diverse and highly qualified federal judges who are committed to civil and human rights. The report highlights many of the judicial nominees — including Justice Jackson — who were confirmed during the 117th Congress and explains why their confirmations matter. Additionally, it urges continued prioritization of the selection, nomination, and confirmation of highly qualified and diverse nominees who have a demonstrated commitment to equal justice, as well as congressional action to modernize and strengthen our judiciary to promote independence and fairness.

“Persevere: Our Ongoing Fight for an Equal Justice Judiciary” is available here.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 230 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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