Ketanji Brown Jackson becomes the first black woman to serve on the US Supreme Court. It was confirmed in the Senate on Thursday.
the essentials in brief
- Ketanji Brown Jackson becomes a US Supreme Court Justice.
- Joe Biden nominated the 51-year-old judge at the end of February.
- The liberal lawyer got 53 of the 100 votes in the Senate.
For the first time, a black woman becomes a judge on the US Supreme Court. The Senate confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson for the office of Supreme Court on Thursday. US President Joe Biden nominated the 51-year-old judge at the end of February. The liberal lawyer got 53 of the 100 votes in the Senate.
Three moderate Republicans voted with the 50 Democrats in the House of Representatives. Jackson’s confirmation does not change anything regarding the conservative majority on the Supreme Court – it replaces the liberal judge Stephen Breyer, who announced his retirement.
Democrat Biden described Jackson as one of the “cleverest lawyers in our country” and spoke of a “historic candidate”.
After her confirmation, Jackson has yet to be sworn in. Breyer’s departure allowed Biden to take his first seat on the Supreme Court. His Republican predecessor Donald Trump was able to place three judges there. Six of the nine judges are currently considered conservative. With its decisions on controversial issues such as abortion, immigration or same-sex marriages, the Supreme Court repeatedly sets the course for US society.
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