S07 E05: Building a Diverse Judiciary

For our courts to work for all of us, our judges should reflect and represent the diversity of our society. Federal courts have been slow to include judges of color, women, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, and judges from varied legal backgrounds, including those with civil rights experience. However, recent judicial appointments are changing that. Newly confirmed judges have broken barriers and shattered glass ceilings by desegregating courts that have never had a judge of color or a judge from their background serve before. And nearly half of the lifetime confirmations during this administration have been former public defenders, civil rights lawyers, and others who have dedicated a significant portion of their careers to protecting civil and human rights. We must build upon this success. For example, we need more federal judges who are Latino/a, judges with known disabilities, judges who are LGBTQ+, judges who are Native American, and judges with experience in civil and human rights. This episode will consider how we achieve meaningful demographic and professional diversity among our nation’s judges. It will explore how diversity on the bench leads to fairer decisions, increased confidence in our legal system, and a stronger democracy.