President Biden will announce his first nominee to the Supreme Court as soon as tomorrow. The White House has completed interviews of the short-listers, backgrounds have been mulled over, and judicial records studied. AFJ is fired up and ready to go, coordinating state by state actions and planning with the national advocacy community to see this supremely qualified nominee over the finish line.

Stay tuned as we promise to provide you with an immediate update as soon as we know something more.

In the meantime, the rush continues to fill every vacancy on the federal courts. We still have over 100 vacancies. We have to keep pushing.

The Good News: Confirmation Hearings Continue

Last week, the committee held the confirmation hearing of the Innocence Project’s Nina Morrison (U.S. Dist. Court for the E.D.N.Y.). While Republican senators fixated on pinning her to increased crime, Morrison gracefully rebuffed attacks and focused on what was important—how her work on wrongful convictions has literally given freedom back to dozens of innocent people. These same misleading tactics will likely surface in the upcoming SCOTUS battle, should the nominee have experience as a public defender.

Next week, two more remarkable nominees will go before the Senate Judiciary Committee (SJC): renowned public defender Arianna Freeman (3rd Cir., PA) and Judge Stephanie Davis (6th Cir., MI)

- Arianna Freeman specializes in habeas matters and would be the first Black woman to serve in the Circuit.

- Judge Stephanie Davis currently serves on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. She would be the second Black woman to serve on the court and the first from Michigan.
Pay Attention: Mark-Up Moves

We expect the following exciting nominees to be advanced by the Judiciary Committee on March 3rd.

- Judge Kenly Kiya Kato: Judge Kato is nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and has served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Central District of California since 2014.

- Judge Sunshine Sykes: Judge Sykes is nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. If confirmed, she would be the first Native American to serve as a federal judge in California and only the sixth active Native American federal district court judge.

- Jennifer Rochon: Rochon is nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. She is currently general counsel for Girl Scouts of the USA.

What’s Next? SCOTUS Confirmation Countdown

More than a dozen of Biden’s terrific nominees are still awaiting a final vote out of committee, including Dale Ho (U.S. Dist. Court for the Southern District of New York) and Alison Nathan (2nd Cir., NY). We need to move them and fill every seat.

But like everyone, we are awaiting the President’s pick.

During this period of final deliberations, all hands are on deck as leaders across every issue area and a range of grassroots communities get our ducks in a row.

We are poised to uplift this superb Black woman and push back against the unfair tropes that are sure to come. The goal – the smoothest path possible to swift confirmation. The exact timing is uncertain. What is certain is our determination to get this historic nominee confirmed with all the fanfare and jubilation this moment deserves.

Donate today to help us keep up the rush. [[link removed]]

unsubscribe: [link removed]

Alliance for Justice
11 Dupont Circle NW
Suite #500
Washington, DC 20036
United States