Courts
The Fair Courts Campaign fights for an impartial and independent federal judiciary that protects the civil and human rights of all
The Fair Courts Campaign
The federal courts are profoundly important to securing our rights and freedoms in America. Whether you are concerned with health care, racial justice, women’s freedom, LGBTQ equality, disability rights, protections for immigrants, or access to the ballot box, the judiciary plays a critical role in protecting and defending our civil and human rights.
For our democracy to work as it should, judges must be fair, impartial, and committed to achieving the promise inscribed on the Supreme Court: “Equal Justice Under Law.” That is why The Leadership Conference launched the Fair Courts Campaign, which draws critical connections between the federal courts and what is at stake in people’s everyday lives.
Now, as the Trump administration and Senate Republicans are trying to transform the courts by selecting an unprecedented number of extremist, anti-civil rights nominees, it is more important than ever to demand a federal judiciary that will uphold rights of all people in America.
The Coalition
Together with our coalition members and the Fair Courts Task Force, we educate the public about the impact of federal courts, evaluate the civil rights records of federal judicial nominees, talk to decision makers, and mobilize public participation in defense of a judiciary that recognizes and protects the rights of all people.
Capitol Hill
We work with Congress to demand the federal courts recognize and uphold civil rights. Both chambers of Congress must be vigilant in performing their respective duties: Senators must reject nominees who jeopardize the integrity of our judicial system, and representatives must be vocal advocates for fair and independent courts.
Organizing
We build strategies to empower diverse community voices in the fight for our federal courts. By leveraging our coalition’s strength and organizing from the local to national levels, we are building a new constituency of leaders, holding officials accountable, and bringing to light the courts’ impact on the issues that matter most.
Shaping the Narrative
We know that if you care about protecting civil and human rights, then you need to care about our federal courts. That is why — by leveraging online and digital tools — we are breaking new ground in creative storytelling to illustrate what is at stake in the fight for a fair and impartial judiciary.
Latest News
Rao Incapable of Serving as Impartial Judge
WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement ahead of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing on Neomi Rao’s nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Court:
Extremist Judicial Re-Nominations Signal Continued Attack on Civil Rights
WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after Trump’s re-nomination package of judicial nominees – many with anti-civil rights records:
Letters of Opposition
While the president nominates candidates for the federal bench, senators are entrusted to provide thorough vetting of nominees. When a nominee’s record indicates they would not uphold civil rights or serve as a fair and independent judge, we submit a letter to the Senate detailing our concerns and opposition.
Learn More
The Leadership Conference coalition has spent decades defending fair and impartial federal courts. As such, we have a trove of resources available online, from policy papers to advocacy and educational materials to media and creative content. Check out our resource library to learn more about the federal judiciary.