You know one way to make the legal system better? Install more public defenders as judges. In the past, the vast majority of federal judges were prosecutors or corporate lawyers. Although they have some important strengths, so do public defenders and civil rights lawyers, who offer unique insights into the struggles facing defendents.
Guess who is finally doing something about this? Joe Biden.
With public defenders as judges, Biden quietly makes history on the courts
As of fall 2021, Biden was already breaking new ground, according to NBC News. He was outpacing every other president since Richard Nixon in confirming circuit court judges, who have the last word in most federal cases. And several had been public defenders:
The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 52-41 Monday to confirm Gustavo Gelpi to be a judge on the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Boston, making him the fifth new circuit judge with a background as a public defender on Biden's watch.
Set against recent history, that is a remarkable statistic. President Barack Obama confirmed five former public defenders to the appeals courts over his entire eight years, according to the progressive judicial group Demand Justice. Biden has matched that in his first nine months.
And Biden has kept on making sure the judiciary gets a better balance of backgrounds. Reporting on the confirmation of Kansas federal public defender Rich Federico to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last December, Reuters noted:
His confirmation brings to 10 the record number of circuit court judges with backgrounds as public defenders appointed by the Democratic president to a federal bench long dominated by former prosecutors and lawyers at large law firms.
The bulk of Biden's 162 confirmed judicial nominees are women, people of color or lawyers with professional backgrounds underrepresented on the federal bench, in keeping with his campaign pledge to bring greater diversity to the judiciary.
Thirty-six of Biden's other confirmed judicial nominees likewise had prior experience working as public defenders, according to the progressive advocacy group Alliance for Justice.
Is there still more work to be done? 100%! Lots more work. But Biden did more than many people guessed could be done. He deserves a lot of credit. AND he deserves to be re-elected.
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These posts are written by Goodnewsroundup (Goodie),
edited by Matilda Briggs, and reinforced by several notable Kossacks!
As with all good things, it takes a village.