Last week, Ketanji Brown Jackson was appointed to the United States Supreme Court. Although many experts believe that the judge Jackson is one of the most qualified people to fill the position, his appointment was not unanimous in the Senate.
A first in the United States
On April 7, the United States Senate officially confirmed the appointment of Ketanji Brown Jackson as Supreme Court Justice. She will replace Justice Stephen Breyer, who announced in January that he was retiring. This is the first time that a black woman has entered the country’s most important court.
Who is it?
Ketanji Brown Jackson attended the prestigious Harvard Law School near Boston, Massachusetts. She graduated in 1996 and then embarked on a career as a lawyer and judge. In particular, she completed an internship with Judge Stephen Breyer, whom she will replace this year.
The nomination process
In the United States, the president appoints judges to the Supreme Court. Then, the Senate, made up of Democratic and Republican members, must confirm this nomination by voting. Judge Jackson received 53 votes in favor and 47 once morest.
A historic appointment
Justice Jackson is the first African-American woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court. Before her, only two black men had access to this court, all in 200 years of history.
A more diverse court
For the first time in history, the Supreme Court of the United States will not be made up of a majority of white men. With the appointment of Ketanji Brown Jackson, there will be 4 women judges out of 9. Three judges are also racialized, including Puerto Rican-born judge Sonia Sotomayor and African-American judge Clarence Thomas.
What is the Supreme Court?
The Supreme Court of the United States is the most important court in the country. It has a significant influence on the major decisions taken there. It is often its judges who decide whether a law or a new rule can be implemented in several States or not. Since 1869, 9 judges sit there.
Important decisions
The Supreme Court often decides the most difficult and controversial cases, such as the famous decision Roe versus Wade, which made abortion legal in the United States. We are also in the process of examining this decision at the moment to find out whether we are upholding it or not.