AFJ Press Releases | Alliance for Justice

We serve as a resource for both traditional and new media and produce groundbreaking research on a wide variety of topics related to our mission of advancing justice and democracy for all Americans. Download our most recent press releases, media advisories, and statements below.

For more information, contact Richard Wexler, Media Relations Manager, at richard.wexler@afj.org or (202) 464-7371.

Alliance for Justice Releases Documentary Film Calling for Reform of Supreme Court Ethics Rules

10/24/11

Narrated by actor and activist Edward James Olmos, A Question of Integrity presents evidence that in recent years some Supreme Court justices have participated in overtly political gatherings, inappropriately lent their names to private fundraising events, maintained financial and personal relationships with individuals and institutions that create the appearance of impropriety, and failed to disclose financial information as required by federal law. The result has been a crisis of credibility for the Court and a growing chorus for institutional reforms to clarify the ethical obligations of justices and to enhance transparency and accountability when potential conflicts of interest arise.

Report Exposes Supreme Court's Promotion of Forced Arbitration to Protect Corporations at the Expense of Everyday Americans

10/12/11

Alliance for Justice today released a report exposing repeated and aggressive efforts by the conservative majority on the United States Supreme Court to radically rewrite the laws governing arbitration in order to shield corporations from liability. "Arbitration Activism: How the Corporate Court Helps Business Evade Our Civil Justice System" details ways in which the Supreme Court’s rulings in cases like AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion and Rent-a-Center West v. Jackson have “allowed big business to abuse forced arbitration contracts, building up a privatized legal system that robs everyday Americans of the chance to be heard by an impartial judge and jury.”

Twenty-One National and Local Consumer Organizations Caution Congressional Deficit Reduction Committee Against Including Medical Malpractice Limits in Deficit Proposal

10/07/11

Twenty-one major consumer and patient safety groups from around the country, whose memberships represent many millions of Americans, sent a letter today to the co-chairs of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction expressing strong opposition to any proposals that would limit the legal rights of patients injured by medical malpractice. The groups argue, “Such legal limits would not only severely harm already injured patients but also they would increase the deficit in significant ways. Moreover, imposing federal malpractice laws on all 50 states would be an unprecedented interference with states and the work of local judges and juries.

Backed by New Information, AFJ Joins Common Cause in Urging the Judicial Conference to Investigate Whether Clarence Thomas Has Violated Federal Disclosure Laws

10/05/11

The letter states that “between 1997-2007, Justice Thomas checked the box ‘none’ for spousal income on his annual financial disclosure forms, despite the fact that Virginia Thomas earned income from several organizations during this time period, including the Heritage Foundation.” Information acquired by Common Cause and AFJ shows that Virginia Thomas received over $1.6 million in income during that period, and although the disclosure forms do not require that the amounts of spousal income be revealed, the fact of her employment should have been reported.

Alliance for Justice Releases Report on Key Supreme Court Case That Tests the Ability of Everyday Americans to Challenge State Actions That Violate Federal Law

09/30/11

Alliance for Justice today released a report detailing the facts and far-reaching implications of Douglas v. Independent Living Center of Southern California, one of the most important cases of the upcoming Supreme Court term. The Court will hear arguments on Monday, October 3, the first day of the session.

Senate Schedules Small Step Toward Ending Judicial Nominations Crisis but Leaves Much Work Undone

09/27/11

When this session of Congress began, not only had the relentless Republican obstruction of President Barack Obama’s nominees to the federal judiciary reached unprecedented levels, but the courts themselves faced a debilitating number of empty judgeships that threatened the soundness of the justice system itself. In January, there were 114 existing or expected vacancies, or one in nine seats. Astonishingly, as of today, there are 115, meaning the Senate and the courts have actually lost ground since January.

AFJ and Common Cause Ask Judicial Conference to Investigate Potential Violations of Ethics in Government Act by Justice Clarence Thomas

09/13/11

Alliance for Justice and Common Cause asked the Judicial Conference of the United States today to determine whether apparent violations of the Ethics in Government Act by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas should be referred to the Justice Department for possible enforcement.

Alliance for Justice Releases Authoritative Guide to Laws and Regulations for Online Advocacy

09/13/11

Washington, D.C., September 13, 2011– Alliance for Justice today released an important new resource designed to help the nonprofit community better understand the legal landscape of advocacy in the modern online world. Influencing Public Policy in the Digital Age: The Law of Online Lobbying and Election-related Activity is available as a free download, and is designed to translate laws and regulations into approachable and applicable guidance for nonprofits hoping to engage in effective online communication and advocacy.

Alliance for Justice Data Highlights Effects on Gender, Racial, Professional, and Party Diversity of President Obama's Circuit Court Nominees

09/09/11

President Obama’s appointees to the federal circuit courts of appeals have been the most diverse in American history. Fifty percent of his nominees have been people of color and 40 percent have been female. Notably, 90 percent of the judges the Obama nominees are replacing are white and 80 percent are male—a harbinger of significant changes coming to the federal judiciary. Although only 20 of the President’s 32 nominees to the circuit courts have been confirmed at this stage in his presidency due to the historically slow pace of Senate action, his track record holds the promise of a federal court system that more closely reflects the diverse nature of the American people. With 10 nominees pending in the Senate for the 17 circuit court seats currently vacant, the president has an opportunity to make significant additional strides in reshaping the appellate bench.

The Ability of the American People to Seek Justice Threatened by Dysfunctional Senate Process for Confirming Judicial Nominees

09/07/11

lliance for Justice President Nan Aron issued the following statement as the United States Senate returned from its summer recess facing a federal judiciary in crisis, with 114 current or future vacancies afflicting the court system, and with evidence of a return to the unprecedented Republican stalling tactics that plagued the first two years of the Obama administration: "After almost three years of delay and dysfunction in the Senate’s judicial confirmation process, one out of seven federal judgeships remains vacant. Some people have said that isn’t really a crisis. We disagree. Partisan games have real consequences."

Alliance for Justice Urges Full Scale Push to Confirm Judicial Nominations when Congress Returns in September

08/05/11

the United States Senate left town this week for its August recess, it left behind the unfinished business of fully staffing the federal courts. Twenty nominees to federal district and circuit courts of appeal were left stranded on the Senate floor, unable to get a final confirmation vote as Republicans continued their tactics of endless delay and unwavering obstruction. Even including the four nominees approved on Tuesday, Republican leadership has allowed votes on only 10 nominees to lifetime seats in the last 12 weeks.

AFJ Disappointed that 20 Judicial Nominations Are Left Behind as Senate Goes on Summer Vacation

08/03/11

After dealing with the federal budget deficit, the United States Senate has now adjourned for the summer, apparently willing to leave the federal judge deficit largely unaddressed. Left behind in the scramble to get out of town were 20 judicial nominees awaiting final votes, all but one of whom were approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously or with only token opposition. Efforts to have votes before the recess on these noncontroversial nominees were largely stymied by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and the unyielding Republican practice of intransigent obstruction.

Alliance for Justice Hails Senate Vote Approving J. Paul Oetken as First Openly Gay Man to Be Confirmed for Federal Judgeship

07/19/11

Today marked an historic moment for the federal judiciary as, for the first time, an openly gay man was confirmed as a federal district court judge. The nomination and confirmation of J. Paul Oetken removes one of the final barriers to full and active participation of LGBT individuals in public life. Although gay men and lesbians have long served as judges, the barrier of silence and secrecy has now fallen, and highly qualified LGBT candidates for federal judgeships need no longer fear the nomination process or hide the truth of their lives.

Alliance for Justice Calls on the Senate to End the Federal Judge Deficit and Pick Up the Pace on Nominations Before More Damage Is Done

07/13/11

While Congress is consumed with a fight over the federal budget deficit, the federal judge deficit continues to fester. Now, Republicans have brought the already sluggish judicial confirmation process to a complete halt, causing the federal courts system to pay the price for partisan warfare over the budget.

Alliance for Justice Finds End of Supreme Court Term Shows the "Corporate Court" Is Still Open for Business

06/28/11

Washington, D.C., June 27, 2011—“It has been another good year for corporations at the U.S. Supreme Court and another bad one for everyday Americans seeking fairness and justice in the American legal system,” according Nan Aron, president of Alliance for Justice, commenting on the end of the 2010-11 U.S. Supreme Court term.

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