Today, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (“LDF”) sent two letters to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee leaders in support of the nomination of Candace Jackson-Akiwumi, to serve as a judge on the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve as a judge on the Circuit Court for the D.C. Court of Appeals. Both nominees have exemplary records and are eminently qualified to serve on the federal appellate bench. LDF urges the Senate Judiciary Committee to swiftly advance the nominations of both judges.
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is supremely qualified to serve on the Circuit Court for the D.C. Court of Appeals. The breadth and depth of her professional and judicial experience make her well suited to not only succeed as an appellate judge but to also have a positive impact in diversifying perspectives on the appellate bench. Based on Judge Jackson’s record on the district court, the ABA has rated her as Unanimously Well Qualified to serve on the D.C. Court of Appeals.19 Judge Jackson has the reputation of a trusted and well-respected district court judge, and a demonstrated commitment to equal justice under the law.
Ms. Jackson-Akiwumi’s record of public service and skilled advocacy in both criminal and civil cases, and at both state and federal levels makes her well-suited to serve on the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The American Bar Association rated Ms. Jackson-Akiwumi Well Qualified, by a substantial majority, to serve as a judge on the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit based on her professional experience, competence, and integrity. Her nomination will bring much needed professional and demographic diversity to the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. We urge the Senate Judiciary Committee to advance her nomination without delay.
Read the letter in support of Candace Jackson-Akiwumi’s nomination here.
Read the letter in support of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination here.
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Founded in 1940, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization. LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Follow LDF on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
