Judicial Nominations Hearing Highlights Civil Rights Litigation

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 15, 2023 – This morning the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing to begin consideration of several of President Biden’s judicial nominees. Among them were nominees who will bring significant experience in civil rights litigation to their role as a judge. 

Mónica Ramírez Almadani, nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, currently heads Public Counsel, the largest pro bono public interest law firm in the nation. She brings significant experience advocating for immigration rights, workers’ rights, and other civil rights matters. Almadani also has experience as a prosecutor and law school professor. 

Judge Marian Gaston, nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, currently serves as a San Diego County Superior Court judge. In addition to her eight years serving on the California state courts, she has 20 years of experience as a public defender, and she has also taught at law schools and helped train other California judges. 

Judge Jeffrey Irvine Cummings, nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, has already been serving as a magistrate judge for four years. His three decades of legal experience prior to serving as a judge focused on civil litigation in employment discrimination and civil rights, healthcare law, and labor related work, representing plaintiffs, governments, unions, whistleblowers, non-profit and for-profit corporations. 

Alliance for Justice President Rakim H.D. Brooks issued the following statement: 

“Yesterday’s confirmation of President Biden’s 100th Article III judge was an important milestone. While we celebrate, we also continue the call for more phenomenal judges. There are just as many vacancies waiting to be filled, and the good work of processing these nominees must continue. Today we saw that it is well underway with several nominees who will bring important experience as civil rights lawyers and public defenders to the bench. These professional backgrounds are still severely underrepresented in our courts, but they are essential to ensure all people can have their cases fairly heard — not just the wealthy and powerful. We look forward to their swift confirmation and hope to see the White House continue its commitment to professional diversity with its future nominations in the coming months.”