(Washington, D.C.) – President Joseph R. Biden announced his first nominees to the federal judiciary on Tuesday, including four Black women – three of whom for the court of appeals – and several former public defenders. The following is a statement from Erinn Martin, policy counsel at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law:
“We commend the Biden Administration on the nomination of these highly-qualified individuals who are committed to the rule of law and reflect the racial diversity of our country. The nominations are a step in the right direction to make our federal courts more representative of the demographics of our nation and of the legal profession.
“If Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby, Candace Jackson-Akiwumi, and Tiffany Cunningham are all confirmed by the Senate, their confirmations would be the highest number of Black women judicial nominees appointed by one president in U.S. history. We need more federal judges with civil rights and public defender experience, who can bring real-world perspectives and fully understand the implications of their decisions on the lives of everyday Americans.”
Read our brief about the lack of diversity in the federal judiciary.
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About the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law – The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (Lawyers’ Committee), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of voting rights, criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and hate crimes. For more information, please visit https://lawyerscommittee.org.
