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Ketanji Brown Jackson

Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since 2022

Ketanji Brown Jackson (/kəˈtɑːndʒi/ kə-TAHN-jee; born Ketanji Onyika Brown; September 14, 1970) is an American lawyer, politician and judge. She is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since June 30, 2022, replacing Stephen Breyer.

Ketanji Brown Jackson
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Assumed office
June 30, 2022
Nominated byJoe Biden
Preceded byStephen Breyer
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
In office
June 17, 2021 – June 30, 2022
Appointed byJoe Biden
Preceded byMerrick Garland
Succeeded byFlorence Y. Pan
Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
In office
March 26, 2013 – June 17, 2021
Appointed byBarack Obama
Preceded byHenry H. Kennedy Jr.
Succeeded byFlorence Y. Pan
Vice Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission
In office
February 2010 – December 2014
Appointed byBarack Obama
Preceded byMichael E. Horowitz
Succeeded byCharles Breyer
Personal details
Born
Ketanji Onyika Brown

(1970-09-14) September 14, 1970 (age 54)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Spouse(s)
Patrick Jackson
​
(m. 1996)​
Children2
EducationHarvard University (AB, JD)
Signature

Jackson was the Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 2021 to 2022, replacing Merrick Garland. She was a United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia from 2013 until 2021. She was nominated to the court by President Barack Obama. From 2010 until 2014, Jackson was Vice Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission.

In March 2021, President Joe Biden nominated her to be a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.[1] On June 14, 2021, the United States Senate confirmed Jackson in a 53-44 vote.[2]

In February 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Jackson to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States to replace retiring Associate Justice Stephen Breyer.[3][4] Her nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate by a 53–47 vote in April 2022.[5] She is the first black woman to be an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court.[5]

Early life

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Jackson was born Ketanji Onyika Brown on September 14, 1970, in Washington, D.C.[6][7] Her father, Johnny Brown, was an attorney for public schools in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Her mother, Ellery, was a school principal in Miami, Florida.[8] Jackson grew up in Miami, Florida.[9]

After high school, Jackson studied government at Harvard College. She graduated in 1992 with an A.B.[10] She also performed improv comedy and took classes in drama while at Harvard.[11]

Jackson worked as a staff reporter and researcher for Time magazine from 1992 to 1993. She graduated in 1996 from Harvard Law School with a Juris Doctor cum laude.[12]

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Jackson began working as a lawyer in Washington, D.C. She also clerked for Justice Stephen Breyer of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1999 to 2000.[13] Jackson worked in private legal practice from 2000 to 2003.[14]

On July 23, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Jackson to become vice chair of the United States Sentencing Commission.[15] The U.S. Senate confirmed Jackson on February 11, 2010. Jackson was on the Sentencing Commission until 2014.[16] During her time, she helped reduce sentences for people charged with drug offenses.[17][18]

District court (2013–2021)

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On September 20, 2012, Obama nominated Jackson to be a judge for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.[19]

On February 14, 2013, her nomination was reported to the full Senate by voice vote of the Senate Judiciary Committee.[20] She was confirmed by the full Senate by voice vote on March 22, 2013.[21] Her time in this court was known for ruling against executive decision made by the Trump administration.[22]

Court of Appeals (2021–2022)

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On March 30, 2021, President Joe Biden announced his plans to nominate Jackson to be a United States circuit judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to replace Merrick Garland.[23] On April 19, 2021, her nomination was sent to the Senate.

On April 28, 2021, a hearing on her nomination was held before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[24] During her confirmation hearing, some senators questioned her about her rulings against former President Donald Trump.[25] The committee supported her nomination with a 13–9 vote.[26] On June 14, 2021, the United States Senate confirmed Jackson in a 53–44 vote.[27]

Supreme Court (since 2022)

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Nomination and confirmation

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Jackson with President Joe Biden at the White House, February 2022

Jackson was seen as a possible Supreme Court Justice nominee since Joe Biden was elected president.[28][29][28] On February 25, 2022, President Joe Biden announced he would nominate Jackson to the United States Supreme Court, replacing retiring Associate Justice Stephen Breyer.[3]

On February 28, 2022, her nomination was sent to the United States Senate.[30] After the Judiciary Committee vote ended in an 11-11 vote tie, her nomination was advanced on April 4 by a 53–47 procedural vote in the Senate to discharge the committee deadlock vote.[31][32][33] This was first time that the Senate has discharged the Judiciary Committee from consideration of a Supreme Court nomination since 1853.[34] Jackson was confirmed by the Senate, 53–47, on April 7, 2022, to replace Breyer.[5] She will become the first black woman on the Supreme Court.[3] She will also be the first Supreme Court justice to have been a public defender.[35]

Jackson was sworn-in as Associate Justice at the end of the Supreme Court's 2021–2022 term on June 30, 2022.[4][36]

Tenure and decisions

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Jackson with other justices on the Roberts Court in 2022

In 2023, Jackson wrote the sole dissenting opinion in Glacier Northwest, Inc. v. Teamsters, a case that talked about the power of employers to sue labor unions about the destruction of employer property following a strike.[37]

Jackson says she does not have a particular judicial philosophy;[38] instead, she says she has a perspective on legal analysis or a "judicial methodology".[39][40]

Politico reported that "Jackson is popular with liberal legal activists looking to replace Breyer with a justice willing to engage in ideological combat with the court's conservatives."[41]

Since joining the Court at the beginning of the 2022 term, Jackson was the most active participant in oral arguments.[42] She spoke an average of 1,350 words per argument, while the eight other justices each spoke on average fewer than 1,000.[42] On February 28, 2023, Jackson wrote her first majority opinion for a unanimous court in Delaware v. Pennsylvania.[43]

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Jackson's legal philosophy as been seen as liberal just like her predecessor Stephen Breyer

In January 2022, The New York Times said that Jackson had not yet written many publications showing a legal philosophy. This was mainly because she had joined the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit only recently, in the summer of 2021. However, The Times said, Jackson's earlier rulings showed a liberal point of view, including her opinions blocking various Trump administration actions.[44] A review of many of her judicial opinions showed that she would likely be as liberal as Justice Stephen Breyer, the justice she replaced.[45]

According to Sahil Kapur, writing for NBC News, "Jackson fits well with the Democratic Party and the progressive movement's agenda" because she is relatively young, has a background as a public defender, and a history of labor-friendly rulings.[46]

Politico reported that "Jackson is popular with liberal legal activists looking to replace Breyer with a justice willing to engage in ideological combat with the court's conservatives."[47]

Personal life

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In 1996, Jackson married Patrick G. Jackson. He is the twin brother of former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan's brother-in-law.[48][49] They have two daughters.[48] She is a protestant.[50]

References

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  1. ↑ Marimow, Ann E.; Viser, Matt. "Biden's first slate of judicial nominees aims to quickly boost diversity in federal courts". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-03-30.
  2. ↑ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Ketanji Brown Jackson, of the District of Columbia, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit)". www.senate.gov. United States Senate. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "First on CNN: Biden to nominate Ketanji Brown Jackson to be first Black woman to sit on Supreme Court". CNN. February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Read Justice Breyer's letter of resignation from the Supreme Court". New York Times. January 27, 2022. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Hurley, Lawrence; Chung, Andrew; Cowan, Richard (2022-04-07). "Senate confirms Jackson as first Black woman on U.S. Supreme Court". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  6. ↑ Marimow, Ann E. (April 30, 2021). "Biden's court pick Ketanji Brown Jackson has navigated a path few Black women have". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on April 30, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Questionnaire for judicial nominees" (PDF). United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 17, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  8. ↑ Leibowitz, Aaron (January 26, 2022). "Supreme Court prospect Brown Jackson was 'star in the making' at Miami's Palmetto High". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on February 2, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  9. ↑ D'Angelo, Bob, and Natalie Dreier (February 25, 2022) "Who is Ketanji Brown Jackson? 5 things to know about Biden’s Supreme Court pick," WFTV 9. Retrieved Febrary 25, 2022.
  10. ↑ Marimow, Ann; Davis, Aaron (January 30, 2022). "Possible Supreme Court nominee, former defender, saw impact of harsh drug sentence firsthand". Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 31, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Meet Ketanji Brown Jackson". New York Magazine. February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Ketanji Brown Jackson". Morrison & Foerster LLP. Archived from the original on September 6, 2008. Retrieved July 25, 2009.
  13. ↑ "Jackson, Ketanji Brown". Federal Judicial Center. Archived from the original on February 1, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  14. ↑ "President Obama Nominates Ketanji Brown Jackson to US Sentencing Commission". whitehouse.gov (Press release). July 23, 2009. Archived from the original on February 1, 2021. Retrieved January 6, 2021 – via National Archives.
  15. ↑ Ingram, David (July 24, 2009). "Obama Taps Another MoFo Lawyer". The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times. Archived from the original on July 26, 2009. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Former Commissioner Information". ussc.gov. October 28, 2013. Archived from the original on May 23, 2015. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  17. ↑ Marimow, Ann E.; Viser, Matt (March 29, 2021). "Biden's first slate of judicial nominees aims to quickly boost diversity in federal courts". Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 30, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
  18. ↑ Schwarzapfel, Beth (July 23, 2015). "Federal Prisons Could Release 1,000 Times More Drug Offenders Than Obama Did". The Marshall Project. Archived from the original on May 11, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
  19. ↑ "President Obama Nominates Two to the United States District Courts". whitehouse.gov. September 20, 2012. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved March 3, 2021 – via National Archives.
  20. ↑ "President Obama Re-nominates Thirty-Three to Federal Judgeships". whitehouse.gov. January 3, 2013. Archived from the original on April 7, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2021 – via National Archives.
  21. ↑ Valencia, Milton J. (February 25, 2022). "Who is Ketanji Brown Jackson, Biden's pick for US Supreme Court?". The Boston Globe. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  22. ↑ Marimow, Ann (June 14, 2021). "Senate confirms D.C. Circuit nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace Merrick Garland". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 15, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Nominations Sent to the Senate". The White House. April 19, 2021. Archived from the original on May 9, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  24. ↑ "Nominations | United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary". judiciary.senate.gov. April 28, 2021. Archived from the original on May 13, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  25. ↑ Marimow, Ann (April 28, 2021). "Biden judicial pick Ketanji Brown Jackson defends her independence in Senate hearing". Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 27, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  26. ↑ "Results of Executive Business Meeting" (PDF). Senate Judiciary Committee. May 20, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 29, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  27. ↑ "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Ketanji Brown Jackson, of the District of Columbia, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit)". www.senate.gov. United States Senate. June 14, 2021. Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 "Justice Stephen Breyer to retire from Supreme Court, paving way for Biden appointment". NBC News. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  29. ↑ Totenberg, Nina (June 14, 2021). "Ketanji Brown Jackson, a Supreme Court prospect, is confirmed to a key appeals court". OPB. Archived from the original on 20 June 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  30. ↑ "Press Release: Nominations Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. February 28, 2022.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  31. ↑ "3 Republicans endorse Jackson in vote to advance her Supreme Court nomination". NBC News. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  32. ↑ Chung, Andrew; Hurley, Lawrence (2022-04-05). "U.S. Supreme Court nominee Jackson secures more Republican backers, clears hurdle". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  33. ↑ CNN, Alex Rogers. "Ketanji Brown Jackson expected to be confirmed this week". CNN. Retrieved 2022-04-05. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  34. ↑ Hayes, Mike; Sneed, Tierney; Lee, Ji Min; Chowdhury, Maureen; Macaya, Melissa (April 4, 2022). "Jackson nomination advances after Senate committee deadlocks". CNN. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  35. ↑ "Ketanji Brown Jackson could be the 1st in SCOTUS with experience as a public defender". NPR.org. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  36. ↑ "Justice Stephen Breyer to officially retire Thursday at noon, swear in Ketanji Brown Jackson". ABC News. June 29, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  37. ↑ "Glacier Northwest, Inc. v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters, 598 U.S. ___ (2023)". June 1, 2023.
  38. ↑ Lempert, Richard (1 April 2022). "Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson—what can we expect?". Brookings. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  39. ↑ Liptak, Adam (22 March 2022). "By Turns Cautious and Confident, Judge Jackson Takes the Stage". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  40. ↑ Anzarouth, Matthew (10 May 2022). "The Misguided Criticism of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's Judicial Philosophy". Harvard Political Review. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  41. ↑ Gerstein, Josh (February 25, 2022). "Ketanji Brown Jackson is the first Black woman selected for the nation's top court". Politico. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 Truscott, Jake S.; Feldman, Adam (December 30, 2022). "The new hot bench: With Jackson leading the way, the justices are speaking more during oral arguments". SCOTUSBlog.
  43. ↑ Sherman, Mark; Gresko, Jessica (28 February 2023). "Justice Jackson writes 1st Supreme Court majority opinion". AP News. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  44. ↑ Mazzei, Patricia; Savage, Charlie (January 30, 2022). "For Ketanji Brown Jackson, View of Criminal Justice Was Shaped by Family". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  45. ↑ Liptak, Adam (February 25, 2022). "Judge Jackson's Rulings: Detailed, Methodical and Leaning Left". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  46. ↑ Kapur, Sahil (January 26, 2022). "Who is Ketanji Brown Jackson? A likely Biden short-lister for Supreme Court". NBC News. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  47. ↑ Gerstein, Josh (February 25, 2022). "Ketanji Brown Jackson is the first Black woman selected for the nation's top court". Politico. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 Goldstein, Tom (February 16, 2016). "Continued thoughts on the next nominee (and impressions of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson)". SCOTUSblog. Retrieved 2017-03-16.
  49. ↑ Phelps, Jordyn (February 26, 2016). "This Potential Supreme Court Nominee Is Family to House Speaker Paul Ryan". ABC News.
  50. ↑ Fritze, John (March 6, 2022). "Supreme Court: Ketanji Brown Jackson would add second Protestant voice". USA Today. Archived from the original on March 22, 2022. Retrieved March 22, 2022.

Other websites

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