The Biden Team Asks Senate Democrats To Recommend Public Defenders, Civil Rights Attorneys For The Federal Bank

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Dana RemusDana Remus MORE, Biden’s choice to serve as White House counsel when he takes office next month sent a letter to Democratic senators this month asking for their input on the district court seats in their states, saying the new government was emphasizing would impose on nominees who are demographically diverse and not I do not have the corporate law or prosecution pedigree typical of a federal judge.

“With regard to the positions of the U.S. District Court, we are particularly focused on nominating individuals whose legal experience has been historically under-represented on the federal bank, including those who are public defenders, civil rights and legal aid attorneys, and those who represent Americans at every walk. of life, ”Remus wrote in the letter, which was obtained from The Hill.

The letter, dated December 22, was first reported by HuffPost on Thursday.

The letter comes because advocacy groups have prompted Biden’s transition team to take a different approach from previous administrations when it comes to appointing federal judges.

Recent presidents of both parties have filled the judiciary with former prosecutors, attorneys mainly from prestigious law firms specializing in representing large corporations or a combination of both.

The Center for American Progress published a survey in August that found that 65 percent of Circuit Court justices, who sit just below the Supreme Court, spent most of their legal careers in private practice, mostly at large law firms. According to the survey, only three of those spent their careers as public defenders, and only one of them was a non-profit lawyer.

A 2014 study by the progressive group Alliance for Justice (AFJ) found that former President Obama contributed to the trend. According to AFJ, 85 percent of Obama’s candidates until then were corporate attorneys, prosecutors, or both.

Remus’s letter is a victory for the advocates who urged Biden to approach judicial nominations differently from his Democratic predecessors.

Christopher Kang, co-founder of the progressive group Demand Justice, applauded the move and urged Democrats in the Senate to honor it.

“These are just the kind of priorities and processes that we have been pushing for and will be needed to rebalance our courts after four years of Trump and McConnell,” Kang said in a statement. President-elect Biden’s emphasis on professional diversity from the outset demonstrates his commitment to building on the historical demographic diversity of President Obama’s judges, and his clear timeline underlines that judges will be a priority from day one. of his government. “

“This letter also sets the right tone for senators, who have traditionally had an outsized – though often underappreciated – role in judicial appointments, and could delay or recommend too many lawyers with an over-represented background, such as law firms and prosecutors, “he added.” Now senators note that they should follow Biden’s lead and make multiple, timely recommendations from lawyers that would restore the balance and legitimacy of our courts. “

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