Good morning! ☕️
Lots going on, but a thing that quietly slipped through last night was the Senate confirming the 4th Native American judge on the entire federal bench. huffpost.com/entry/native-a…
Lots going on, but a thing that quietly slipped through last night was the Senate confirming the 4th Native American judge on the entire federal bench. huffpost.com/entry/native-a…
Lauren King, 39, was confirmed to a lifetime seat on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
Interesting vote on this one. Dems all voted for her, but so did a handful of Republicans. Including Mitch McConnell.
Interesting vote on this one. Dems all voted for her, but so did a handful of Republicans. Including Mitch McConnell.
King is impressive in her own right.
Most recently was an attorney at the Seattle-based law firm Foster Garvey, P.C.
Served as a pro tem appellate judge for the Northwest Intertribal Court System since 2013.
Taught Federal Indian Law at the Seattle University School of Law.
Most recently was an attorney at the Seattle-based law firm Foster Garvey, P.C.
Served as a pro tem appellate judge for the Northwest Intertribal Court System since 2013.
Taught Federal Indian Law at the Seattle University School of Law.
But taking a step back, her confirmation is a big deal.
She joins only three other Native American judges actively serving on the federal bench out of nearly 900 authorized federal judgeships.
She joins only three other Native American judges actively serving on the federal bench out of nearly 900 authorized federal judgeships.
More broadly, there have only *ever* been six Native Americans who have been federal judges in the 230-year history of the U.S. courts.
That’s out of more than 4,200 people who have been Article III judges (i.e. lifetime judges on U.S. district courts, appeals courts or SCOTUS).
That’s out of more than 4,200 people who have been Article III judges (i.e. lifetime judges on U.S. district courts, appeals courts or SCOTUS).
There has never been an Indigenous judge on a U.S. appeals court.
Why does this matter?
Diversity on the federal bench is “critical," says judicial nominations expert + law professor Carl Tobias, because it brings different perspectives into the courtroom + constricts biases relating to gender and ethnicity that can undermine justice.
Diversity on the federal bench is “critical," says judicial nominations expert + law professor Carl Tobias, because it brings different perspectives into the courtroom + constricts biases relating to gender and ethnicity that can undermine justice.
It is particularly important to have Native judges, esp in Indian Country + the West, where the courts substantially affect so many Native people's lives, says Tobias.
Native folks are often "overrepresented as litigants and severely underrepresented as judges of those courts."
Native folks are often "overrepresented as litigants and severely underrepresented as judges of those courts."
King will now be a federal judge in Washington state, which is home to 29 federally recognized tribes.
Washington has never had a Native American federal judge until now.
Washington has never had a Native American federal judge until now.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) recommended King to Biden for a judgeship. She is very proud of this.
“I believe that this is a perspective that matters -- and one that has been missing for far too long,” she told HuffPost. “ huffpost.com/entry/native-a…
“I believe that this is a perspective that matters -- and one that has been missing for far too long,” she told HuffPost. “ huffpost.com/entry/native-a…
A thing worth noting about the way Murray chose King for a judgeship: like other senators, Murray relies on recs for potential candidates by a judicial selection panel in her state.
Murray's panel is the 1st in the country to explicitly include someone from a tribal nation.
Murray's panel is the 1st in the country to explicitly include someone from a tribal nation.
More on King's confirmation and why it matters in here: huffpost.com/entry/native-a…
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