Janice R. Andrews
The Senate confirmed President Joe Biden’s nomination of the 200th federal judge on Wednesday, a momentous occasion that came about around one month ahead of former President Donald Trump. Angela Martinez’s confirmation as an Arizona district court judge marked the accomplishment of this milestone.
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer emphasized the historic significance of Biden’s judicial appointees while highlighting their diversity. “Simply put, our 200 judges comprise the most diverse slate of judicial nominations under any president in American history,” Schumer said.
The goal of the Biden administration has been to select judges who are both outstanding professionals and representatives of the communities they sit on. After the vote, Biden reaffirmed his pledge to nominate justices who are unbiased and considerate of their communities in a statement.
By now, three Supreme Court justices and fifty-one appellate court judges have been approved under Trump’s administration, compared to one during Biden’s and forty-two during Biden’s. But when it comes to district judge confirmations, Biden has outperformed Trump, emphasizing the need to increase the number of female and minority judges on the federal bench. 127 women, 58 Black people, 36 Hispanic people, and 35 Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders make up the 200 confirmed judges.
Even with this advancement, problems still exist. The Senate’s agenda gets more crowded as election year draws near, and several Democratic senators have expressed hesitation to accept nominations without bipartisan support. Additionally, home-state senators have a tremendous impact over the nominee process, as seen by the fact that half of the more than 40 open judge positions are in states with two Republican senators.
Senators who are Republicans have voiced reservations with the emphasis on diversity, stating that competency and devotion to the Constitution should take precedence over identity characteristics. However, supporters contend that a diverse court broadens the range of professional skills that judges can draw upon and increases public confidence in the legal system.
The goal of the Biden administration is to surpass Trump’s record of 234 judicial confirmations, but the ultimate objective is still to create a judiciary that is representative of the diversity and experiences of Americans.
