On this edition of Your Call, we're discussing the historic Supreme Court nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. If confirmed, she will become the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s highest court. In her opening statement, Judge Jackson paid tribute to Judge Constance Baker Motley, the first Black woman to serve as a federal judge in 1966.
If Judge Jackson is confirmed, she’ll join an ultra-conservative court that is expected to do little to protect the rights of everyday people, especially those in marginalized communities. On issues like abortion rights, affirmative action, and voting rights, she will most likely be writing minority opinions for decades to come.
Guest:
LaDoris Hazzard Cordell, retired Superior Court California Judge and author of the memoir, Her Honor: My Life on the Bench...What Works, What's Broken and How to Change It. In 1982, California Governor Jerry Brown appointed Judge Cordell to the Municipal Court of Santa Clara County, making her the first Black woman judge in northern California. In 1988, Judge Cordell won election to the Superior Court of Santa Clara County.
Web Resources:
NBC: The big changes Ketanji Brown Jackson's presence could bring to the Supreme Court
The 19th: Pride, joy, inspiration, validation: What Black women see in Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination
New York Times: Why KBJ Is Different
Fox2 KTVU: Supreme Court nominee resonates with Black women in law
The Washington Post: How Ketanji Brown Jackson found a path between confrontation and compromise
The Washington Post: How Ketanji Brown Jackson’s path to the Supreme Court differs from the current justices
The 19th: See just how much White men have dominated the federal judiciary
