AFJ Hails New Nominees to Federal Courts 

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 4, 2023 – Today the White House announced President Biden’s 39th slate of nominees to the federal courts. The two new district court nominees and one circuit court nominee bring the administration ever closer to filling the 91 vacancies that remain. 

Of note in this slate is Sarah F. Russell, nominated to the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. Russell is a former public defender who has focused much of her scholarship on criminal justice reform and her practice advocating for populations who face the most disadvantages when navigating the justice system. She has taught at Quinnipiac University School of Law since 2011, overseeing its Civil Justice Clinic.  

Judge Edward S. Kiel, who currently serves as a United States Magistrate Judge, would be the first Korean American judge to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. 

Jake Faleschini, Justice Program Director at Alliance for Justice, issued the following statement: 

“It’s always encouraging to see more judicial nominations advancing, but especially when we see outstanding lawyers who have spent their careers representing real people and fighting injustices in the legal system. It can’t be overstated how much our courts need more judges who have dedicated their lives and careers to the cause of equal justice, including former public defenders like Sarah Russell. We look forward to these judges and the others still pending moving quickly through the confirmation process so they can assume the important work of serving the people and our understaffed courts.”