Biden nominates Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court

President Biden has nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court, the White House announced Friday.

Why it matters: Jackson would be the first Black female justice in the court’s history, and the first justice in decades with any significant experience representing criminal defendants.

Catch up quick: In many ways, Jackson has the resume we’ve come to expect from Supreme Court justices: Harvard Law, a Supreme Court clerkship, some time at prestigious corporate law firms, and a seat on the federal judiciary — specifically, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

• She also served for two years as a federal public defender, and she was a member of the U.S. Sentencing Commission at a time when that panel significantly rolled back federal sentencing guidelines for many drug offenses.

What they’re saying: “President Biden sought a candidate with exceptional credentials, unimpeachable character, and unwavering dedication to the rule of law,” the White House said in a statement.

• “Judge Jackson is an exceptionally qualified nominee as well as an historic nominee, and the Senate should move forward with a fair and timely hearing and confirmation.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a statement: “With her exceptional qualifications and record of evenhandedness, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson will be a Justice who will uphold the constitution and protect the rights of all Americans, including the voiceless and vulnerable.”

• “Once the President sends Judge Jackson’s nomination to the Senate, Senate Democrats will work to ensure a fair, timely, and expeditious process – fair to the nominee, to the Senate, and to the American public,” he added.

In a statement, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said: “I voted against confirming Judge Jackson to her current position less than a year ago. Since then, I understand that she has published a total of two opinions, both in the last few weeks.”

• He added: “With that said, I look forward to carefully reviewing Judge Jackson’s nomination during the vigorous and thorough Senate process that the American people deserve.”

Context: The Supreme Court rules all the time on the rights of suspected criminals, setting the rules of the road for everything from police searches to executions.

• But not since Thurgood Marshall has there been a Supreme Court justice with any real experience as a defense lawyer in those kinds of cases.
• The court’s civil-libertarian wing is small, and a Justice Jackson would likely still lose a lot of those battles. But if she’s confirmed, she’d bring a new set of relevant legal experiences to the court, in addition to being the first Black female justice.

What’s next: Jackson’s road to confirmation looks relatively smooth, at least at the outset.

• The Senate confirmed her to the D.C. Circuit just last year, by a 53-44 vote. She’s already made it through the wringer of the 50-50 Senate, and that’s a pretty good indication that she can likely get confirmed this time, too.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.