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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 reports, statements, and press releases below. Click here to see AFJ’s Bolder Advocacy resources for nonprofits and foundations.
For more information, contact Kevin Fry, Director of Communication, at Kevin@afj.org or (202) 464-7367.
State of the Judiciary: Judicial Selection At the Beginning of President Obama’s Second Term
As President Obama’s second term begins in earnest, there is room for hope that the Administration and the Senate will finally be able to make some headway in reducing the historic backlog of unfilled judicial vacancies. The President has, over the last year, significantly increased his nomination pace, putting pressure on the Senate to act to confirm his nominees. Moreover, the Senate has recently changed its rules to allow for the swifter consideration of district court nominees, potentially allowing for an easier confirmation process. Read More »
Unfinished Business: Judicial Selection During the Remainder of the Obama Presidency
As President Obama finishes his first term and looks forward to his second, the cumulative effects of Republican senators’ ceaseless obstruction of judicial nominees is evident: the President will complete his fourth year in office with more vacancies and judicial emergencies than when he was inaugurated and with far fewer confirmations than his two predecessors had at the end of their first terms. In short, while the President has enjoyed some major judicial selection victories—most notably his appointments to the Supreme Court—his first term has largely been a missed opportunity to fully staff the lower federal courts. Given the current situation, the President has a significant amount of unfinished business to complete during the remainder of his presidency. Read More »
Progressive Values in the Balance: Previewing the 2012-2013 Supreme Court Term
In recent years, the Supreme Court has decided numerous highly controversial cases, often by 5-4 margins, which have served to roll back the clock on decades of progressive jurisprudence. This term could bring more of the same. The Supreme Court 2012-2013 term is already packed with cases with the potential to restrict corporate accountability and limit everyday Americans’ civil rights and access to justice. Moreover, the Court may also agree to consider challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act, California’s Proposition 8, and the Voting Rights Act. In short, the Court’s decisions this term could have disastrous consequences for the ability of consumers, victims of discrimination, human rights plaintiffs, and others to get a fair day in court. Read More »
2011-12 End of Term Report
The 2011-12 U.S. Supreme Court term will be best remembered for the Court’s landmark ruling on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), in which it upheld the constitutionality of the Act but opened the door to placing future limits on Congress’ ability to regulate interstate commerce and to impose conditions on federal grants to the states. That decision, however, was far from the only ruling of major significance this term. The Court issued a number of important decisions that reflect its continuing bias in favor of corporate interests and against the rights of everyday Americans, demonstrating that Chief Justice John Roberts’ One-Percent Court was once again open for business. Read More »
The State of the Judiciary: Judicial Selection During the Remainder of President Obama's First Term (May 2012)
As President Obama nears the home stretch of his first term, the cumulative effects of Republican senators’ ceaseless obstruction of judicial nominees and election-year politics will likely mean that President Obama will finish his first term with more vacancies and judicial emergencies than when he took office and with far fewer confirmations than his two predecessors had at the end of their first terms. This will be the case even if the Senate confirms several dozen nominees over the remainder of the Congress. Read More »
RECENT PRESS RELEASES
AFJ CONDEMNS GRASSLEY “COURT-PACKING SCHEME”
04/11/13
Legislation sponsored by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) to reduce the number of judges on what is widely viewed as the nation’s second most important federal court is a “court-packing scheme” to keep the court in the hands of staunch conservatives, according to Alliance for Justice.
Read More »“IT’S ABOUT TIME”
04/09/13
Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron issued the following statement in response to the vote by the Senate to confirm Judge Patty Shwartz for the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit.
Read More »THE TIME FOR EQUALITY IS NOW
03/27/13
My name is Nan Aron. I am the president of Alliance for Justice and I am here on behalf of our over 100 member organizations to stand with you, and the vast majority of the American people, in support of marriage equality. Our Constitution rests on the simple but profound idea that every single one of us is entitled to the equal protection of the law, no matter who we are, or who we love. In a nation truly dedicated to liberty and equality, there is no place for discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Read More »STATEMENT OF NAN ARON, PRESIDENT, ALLIANCE FOR JUSTICE, ON THE DECISION OF THE WHITE HOUSE TO WITHDRAW THE NOMINATION OF CAITLIN HALLIGAN FOR THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT
03/22/13
The withdrawal of this highly-qualified nominee is one more illustration of the extent to which Republicans have used unprecedented, partisan obstruction to hijack the United States Senate. It is still another indication, as if any were needed, that Senate Democrats need to revisit Senate rules reform, and stand up to the tyranny of the minority. We are confident that President Obama now will press ahead with nominating individuals to fill all three D.C. Circuit vacancies still without nominees – and will make the fight for these nominees a top priority.
Read More »