Here comes the JUDGES!!!! (Maybe)

After Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced last week that he would take bold action to end Republican filibusters of 17 federal district court nominees, activists across the country, like you, spoke out in favor of the bold move and called your senators to tell them to end Republicans' blockade of qualified judicial nominees.

Thank you -- the pressure from both the Democratic leadership and Americans willing to speak out is paying off. Late last week, Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell reached an agreement to allow votes on 14 pending district AND circuit court nominees by May 7, with the first seven votes before the end of this month.

The first two votes have already happened, confirming Gina Groh of West Virginia and Michael Fitzgerald of California to federal district courts. But this movement is long overdue, the pace is not quick enough and the question remains: what happens on May 8, after, presumably, these 14 nominees are confirmed?

Even with this deal, far too many seats on our federal courts will still be vacant. President Obama's nominees still face consistent, unprecedented delays. It is absolutely ridiculous that it took such pressure to allow votes on a group of eminently qualified nominees with strong bipartisan support.

We're making undeniable progress but we have still not reached an end of the Republican gridlock.

Prior to the Obama administration, only three district court nominees had been filibustered in the past 60 years. And President Obama's nominees to the federal courts have had to wait on average four times as long for a simple Senate vote as did President Bush's nominees at this point in his presidency.

If Senate Republicans want to show Americans they're serious about doing the work they were elected to do, they should allow votes on the remaining nominees pending on the Senate floor and additional nominees who will be reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee in the coming months.

Thanks again for your activism, and for your support. We'll continue to keep you updated about our effort to end the GOP's partisan obstruction and let you know how you can help.

Judicial Nominations at critical decision point; act now to ensure our Democracy works with three strong branches of government!!!

It is clear from recent cases that no matter the issue—health care, immigration, environment, marriage equality, consumer protections, ethics—the judiciary will continue to play an increasingly important role in the lives of hardworking Americans as well as in the success of the progressive legislative agenda. Every issue progressives fight for ends up in the courts. If you’re a progressive and you care about any progressive issue, who is on the courts matters to you.  

Current Nominations Battle
More than half of the U.S. population currently lives in a community with a courtroom vacancy. Today there are 20 judicial nominees who are awaiting a simple up-or-down vote in the U.S. Senate.  Unfortunately, most of these nominees have been waiting months for a vote, with the judicial work of the American people going undone. These 20 nominees:

Enjoy broad Democratic and Republican support:

• 13 were approved unanimously by Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee
• 5 received with just one “no” vote
• 2 were approved on party line votes

Would fill court vacancies in communities across the entire country:

• 10 of the 20 would fill a “judicial emergency
• 10 are represented by states with at least one Republican Senator

Are diverse:

• 9 are women
• 10 are minorities (2 Hispanic, 4 African American, 3 Asian American, 1 gay)

Have been waiting far longer for a vote than any previous nominees:

• At this point in George W. Bush’s term, Circuit Court nominees waited an average of 28 days from Committee approval to Senate vote. President Obama’s nominees have waited an average of 139 days.
• At this point in George W. Bush’s term, District Court nominees waited an average of 22 days from Committee approval to Senate vote. President Obama’s nominees have waited an average of 100 days.

Key Message Points:
Americans must have equal access to a fair hearing in court, and obstruction by Republicans is preventing that from happening.

• Unprecedented republican obstruction in Washington has left us with over 80 vacancies on the federal courts, leading to a backlog of cases that undermines our system of justice and makes it impossible for most Americans to have their case heard in a timely manner.
• The Senate is failing in its Constitutional duty to advice and consent to nominees to fill the nation’s courtrooms.
• It is time to put aside the partisan bickering, get rid of the anonymous ‘holds’ that Senators can place on a judicial appointment, and fill these critical vacancies so Americans can have their voice heard in court.

Americans want a system (including the judiciary) that works fairly for everyone and not just the already privileged few.

• Americans don’t like a system (especially a court system) where corporations and the wealthy have better access and a different set of rules to play by than everybody else. Instead they want a system where everyone can get a fair shake.
• Americans – across the political spectrum and across the income spectrum – consistently say that “having the laws apply equally to everyone” is the most important right included in the Constitution, and the right that’s most at risk today.

For more information and materials on Judicial Nominations - please feel free to visit the websites below.

Alliance for Justice | Judicial Selection Project

Center for American Progress | Legal Progress

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights | Judicial Nominations

People for the American Way | Fair and Just Courts

National Council of Jewish Women | BenchMark Judicial Nominations Campaign