United Press International: Biden’s judicial appointments most diverse in U.S. history; Trump’s still loom large
This excerpt is from a piece that originally ran on May 28, 2024.
The American Bar Association’s ratings for judicial nominees have long been an influential marker of how suitable those candidates were for the bench. This influence has shifted as judicial appointments have become more influenced by partisan organizations.
The Republican and Democratic parties and the presidents from those parties have increased their emphasis on picking judges that align with their policy goals, Paul Helmke, professor of practice at Indiana University, told UPI.
The Federalist Society, a conservative and libertarian policy advocacy organization, has gained more influence over nominations from Republican lawmakers. The same is true for the American Constitution Society and Alliance for Justice for Democratic lawmakers.