Ketanji Brown Jackson
Ketanji Brown Jackson ( ; 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.
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. On June 14, 2021, the United States Senate confirmed Jackson in a 53-44 vote.
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. Her nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate by a 53-47 vote in April 2022. She is the first black woman to be an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court.
Early life
Jackson was born Ketanji Onyika Brown on September 14, 1970, in Washington, D.C. 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. Jackson grew up in Miami, Florida.
After high school, Jackson studied government at Harvard College. She graduated in 1992 with an A.B. She also performed improv comedy and took classes in drama while at Harvard.
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.
Legal career
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. Jackson worked in private legal practice from 2000 to 2003.
On July 23, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Jackson to become vice chair of the United States Sentencing Commission. The U.S. Senate confirmed Jackson on February 11, 2010. Jackson was on the Sentencing Commission until 2014. During her time, she helped reduce sentences for people charged with drug offenses.
District court (2013-2021)
On September 20, 2012, Obama nominated Jackson to be a judge for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
On February 14, 2013, her nomination was reported to the full Senate by voice vote of the Senate Judiciary Committee. She was confirmed by the full Senate by voice vote on March 22, 2013. Her time in this court was known for ruling against executive decision made by the Trump administration.
Court of Appeals (2021-2022)
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. 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. During her confirmation hearing, some senators questioned her about her rulings against former President Donald Trump. The committee supported her nomination with a 13-9 vote. On June 14, 2021, the United States Senate confirmed Jackson in a 53-44 vote.
Supreme Court (since 2022)
Nomination and confirmation
Jackson was seen as a possible Supreme Court Justice nominee since Joe Biden was elected president. On February 25, 2022, President Joe Biden announced he would nominate Jackson to the United States Supreme Court, replacing retiring Associate Justice Stephen Breyer.
On February 28, 2022, her nomination was sent to the United States Senate. 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. This was first time that the Senate has discharged the Judiciary Committee from consideration of a Supreme Court nomination since 1853. Jackson was confirmed by the Senate, 53-47, on April 7, 2022, to replace Breyer. She will become the first black woman on the Supreme Court. She will also be the first Supreme Court justice to have been a public defender.
Jackson was sworn-in as Associate Justice at the end of the Supreme Court's 2021-2022 term on June 30, 2022.
Legal positions
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. A review of many of her judicial opinions showed that she would likely be as liberal as Justice Stephen Breyer, the justice she replaced.
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.
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."
Personal life
In 1996, Jackson married Patrick G. Jackson. He is the twin brother of former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan's brother-in-law. They have two daughters. She is a protestant.
References
Other websites
whitehouse.gov: Portrait
1970 births
Living people
United States Supreme Court justices
Politicians from Washington, D.C.
Democratic Party (United States) politicians
Lawyers from Washington, D.C.
African American lawyers
Lawyers from Miami
Politicians from Miami
American judges