Womenstake

Female Judges on the Rise in Pennsylvania

by Rachel Peck, Fellow, 
National Women's Law Center 

Women have been long underrepresented in the judiciary.  While women now make up half of all law school classes, outside of law school, the number of women serving as judges is sorely lacking.  The Supreme Court has only two women among its members and only 28% of Federal Appeals Court justices are women.On the state level, only 26% of state court judges are women. 

Last week Pennsylvania voters took their state judiciary to a whole new level.  After Pennsylvania’s election results were announced, the number of women serving on the Pennsylvania Appeals Court reached 21 out of a total 31 seats, to a whopping 68%. These new judges will help serve as an inspiration to young women that they can reach top levels in the legal profession, and as a reflection of our diverse population, as well as legal profession. 

We hope Pennsylvania’s results are only the beginning of an upward trend in the number of female judges, and one we hope to see replicated throughout the states and at the federal level. 

We Share Justice O'Connor's Disappointment...

by Amy Matsui, Senior Counsel, 
National Women's Law Center 

Former Justice Sandra Day O’Connor is “disappointed” that some of her rulings have been dismantled by the Roberts Court. I think we’re thinking what she’s thinking.

Justice O’Connor was asked during a panel discussion over the weekend how she felt “about the fact that the current Court had undone some of her rulings.” It’s not clear which decisions she or the questioner had in mind, but we can think of at least one that she wrote -– the 2003 opinion in Grutter v. Bollinger, which upheld the right of public universities to use affirmative action in their admissions policies to promote diversity -– and one in which she was a key vote -– the 2000 decision in Stenberg v. Carhart, which struck down a government restriction on a woman’s access to abortion in part because it lacked an exception to protect the woman’s health -- that have been seriously undermined by subsequent Roberts Court decisions. In any event, Justice O’Connor did not question the proposition that at least some of her rulings had been “dismantled” and said that it would be understandable for her to feel “disappointed.” 

In addition, Justice O’Connor was a strong proponent of “the value of diversity of the bench” during this panel. She noted that having two women on the Supreme Court (Justice Ginsburg and now Justice Sonia Sotomayor) “isn’t enough.” 

Senator Kennedy's Legacy on the Judiciary Committee – Bork and Beyond

by Amy Matsui, Senior Counsel, 
National Women’s Law Center 

Senator Kennedy is rightly being remembered and celebrated for being a champion of legislation establishing and reinforcing civil rights protections for women during over four decades in the Senate.  But it should not be forgotten that he also worked to ensure that the protections set forth in legislation would not be given short shrift in the courtroom.

Senator Kennedy served on the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1963 to 2008, including two years as its Chairman.  During his tenure, Senator Kennedy did his best to make sure that individuals nominated to lifetime positions on the federal bench respected women’s legal rights. He led the opposition to Robert Bork’s nomination to the Supreme Court in 1987. In so doing, he decried then-Judge Bork’s view that the Constitution contained no right to privacy at all, including a right for women to make a personal and private decision to have an abortion.  In addition, Senator Kennedy criticized Bork’s view that the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause did not protect women from sex discrimination by the government.

Senator Kennedy also protected the civil rights and women’s rights that were part of his core legislative priorities by consistently asking judicial nominees about their views on laws intended to protect against discrimination at work and at school, including key civil rights protections like Title VII and Title IX.

I’m grateful that Senator Kennedy was there to ask judicial nominees questions about women’s civil rights and legal protections, and that he cared so much about the answers.

Thank Your Senator(s) for Confirming Judge Sotomayor

by Marcia D. Greenberger, Co-President, 
National Women's Law Center

If your Senator(s) voted yes, please take a moment to thank him/her for voting to confirm Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court.

On Saturday, Judge Sotomayor was sworn into office as our country’s 111th Supreme Court Justice. This was made possible by Senators who voted to confirm this extraordinary judge. This historic confirmation will earn Judge Sotomayor a place in our history books as the first Latina, first woman color, and only the third woman to be confirmed to the Supreme Court.

It is with great pride and respect that the National Women’s Law Center advocated for, and now celebrates, Judge Sotomayor’s confirmation to the highest court in the land. She possesses exceptional legal qualifications, an inspiring life story, a demonstrated commitment to public service, and a willingness to fully apply the hard-won legal rights upon which women rely. We applaud the Senate for making history with its strong vote to approve her confirmation.

Justice Sotomayor Sworn in on Saturday

by Amy Matsui, Senior Counsel,
National Women's Law Center 

On Saturday, Justice Sonia Sotomayor was sworn in as the 111th Supreme Court Justice by Chief Justice John Roberts, at the Supreme Court.  She thus officially becomes the third woman, first Latina, and first woman of color to sit on the nation’s highest court.  She will hear her first argument as a Supreme Court Justice on September 9, in the case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.

Center Applauds Senate’s Vote to Confirm Sotomayor as ‘Defining Moment’

The U.S. Senate confirmed Judge Sonia Sotomayor to be the next Associate Justice on the Supreme Court today. A statement from Marcia D. Greenberger, Co-President of the National Women’s Law Center, follows:

“Today’s Senate vote marks a defining moment in the history of our nation’s highest court. The confirmation of the first Latina and woman of color, and only the third woman, to sit on the Supreme Court means the bench will now better reflect the rich diversity of our country.

“Judge Sotomayor is a remarkably qualified and gifted woman who will approach each case with fairness, impartiality and a deep respect for legal precedent. In addition to her impressive tenure on the bench, her academic and legal qualifications, her abiding commitment to public service, and her compelling life story are an inspiration and an indication that she will be an outstanding Justice. 

“The National Women’s Law Center is proud to have supported Judge Sotomayor’s nomination and we applaud the Senate for making history with its strong vote to approve her confirmation.” 

NWLC’s report on Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s 17-year judicial record, her legal experience and activities, her speeches, and her four days of testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee is available here.

NWLC’s statement supporting her nomination to the Supreme Court is available here.

Senator Bond To Vote For Judge Sotomayor

by Amy Matsui, Senior Counsel, 
National Women's Law Center 

This post is part of a series about the nomination of Judge Sotomayor for the Supreme Court.

The Senate is currently debating the nomination of Judge Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Senator Kit Bond of Missouri just announced on the floor of the Senate that he will support Judge Sotomayor, citing her experience, qualifications, and inspiring life story. This brings the total of Republican Senators supporting the nomination up to seven (Sens. Lugar, Martinez, Snowe, Collins, Graham and Alexander).

This Woman's Place is on the Supreme Court: Help Confirm Judge Sotomayor

by Marcia D. Greenberger, Co-President, 
National Women's Law Center  

This post is part of a series about the nomination of Judge Sotomayor for the Supreme Court.

Your voice is urgently needed to tell the Senate that Judge Sonia Sotomayor belongs on the Supreme Court. This supremely qualified woman deserves an outpouring of bipartisan support. You can help by urging your Senators to confirm Judge Sonia Sotomayor to be the next Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. 

As a Supreme Court Justice, Judge Sotomayor will earn a place in our history books as the first Latina and the first woman of color to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court — shattering another glass ceiling for women. And as only the third woman to ever be a Supreme Court Justice, she will be shattering a very thick glass ceiling. For more on the importance of this nomination, see my article on The Huffington Post.

Judge Sotomayor combines exceptional academic and legal qualifications and an impressive tenure on the bench with an extraordinary commitment to public service and an inspirational life story. But despite her remarkable record and testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, some Senators are still on the fence.

Don't let this uniquely qualified and inspiring woman receive less than resounding support by the Senate — urge your Senators to confirm Judge Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. We need to send a strong message about how deserving Judge Sotomayor is to serve on the Supreme Court.

Rally Wednesday in D.C. to Confirm Judge Sotomayor!

by Candace Webb, Outreach Manager,
National Women's Law Center

Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 5 at 12:00 p.m. EST, the National Women’s Law Center, our partners in the civil rights community, and hundreds of supporters of Judge Sonia Sotomayor will gather at Upper Senate on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. with Senators Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) to call for the confirmation of Judge Sotomayor to the U. S. Supreme Court.

We hope you’ll join us at the U.S. Capitol to show your support for Judge Sotomayor!

Rally to Confirm Judge Sotomayor!
When: Wednesday, August 5, 2009; 12:00 p.m. E.S.T.
Where: Upper Senate Park on Capitol Hill (Washington, D.C.)
200 New Jersey Avenue, N.W., near the Union Station Metro 
(closest metro stop: Union Station)

Here’s a map of the location:

View Larger Map

To learn more about Judge Sotomayor and this important Supreme Court nomination, visit our website. 

See you on the Hill!

History in the Making

by Marcia D. Greenberger, Co-President, 
National Women's Law Center 

Cross-posted from Huffington Post.

This week, the Senate will make history – the kind of history that makes our country proud. When the Senate confirms Judge Sotomayor, she will become the first Latina, the first woman of color, and only the third woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Sotomayor is an extraordinary person, who combines exceptional academic and legal qualifications and an impressive tenure on the bench with an abiding commitment to public service and an inspirational life story. 

The selection of this exceptional woman demonstrates how the nation can benefit from the talents and skills of women and people of color at all levels of our judiciary. When she is confirmed, Judge Sotomayor will bring the number of sitting female Justices back up to two.  As Justice Ginsburg said in May, “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. . .  It shouldn't be that women are the exception.”

My organization, the National Women’s Law Center, strongly supports the nomination of this outstanding judge.

The Center endorsed Judge Sotomayor’s nomination after an extensive review of her legal record on issues that are of particular importance to women, her public statements and her testimony during her confirmation hearings. Our analysis is explained in our report, The Record of Judge Sonia Sotomayor on Critical Legal Rights for Women.

Read the full post.