The U.S. Senate confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as a United States Supreme Court Justice to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer. Judge Jackson will be the first Black woman on the nation’s highest court, the third Black person, and the sixth woman in the court’s history. Jackson’s qualifications include serving as a public defender and a judge, and her landmark confirmation is an inspiration to many. Listen to hear a law student reflect on Jackson’s experience and the significance of this historic event.
Story Length: 5:26
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February 14, 2022
6:55
Justice Stephen Breyer is retiring from the U.S. Supreme Court. During his 28 years on the Court, Breyer has been involved in some of the most controversial and far-reaching decisions of the day, on abortion, affirmative action, school desegregation, and affordable health care. He is known for his pleasant, optimistic manner, and for using his gifts of persuasion to build consensus around difficult issues among his fellow justices. Breyer views the Constitution as a living document, subject to reinterpretation, which has put him at odds with his more conservative colleagues. Listen to learn about the life and legacy of Justice Stephen Breyer.
Read MoreNovember 2, 2020
3:49
The Senate voted to confirm Amy Coney Barrett as a justice of the US Supreme Court. Barrett fills the seat vacated by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died in September. Democrats objected to the timing of the vote, which took place a week before the 2020 election, and senators voted almost entirely along party lines. Barrett’s confirmation gives the Supreme Court a 6-3 conservative majority. Listen to hear Republican and Democratic leaders react to the confirmation process, and learn how the pandemic affected the proceedings.
Read MoreSeptember 28, 2020
6:30
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died. Ginsburg, the second woman ever to be appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, was a fierce advocate for gender equality. Her groundbreaking work as a lawyer and judge changed how both men and women are treated in the workplace. Ginsburg was a hero to Americans fighting for gender equity and is affectionately known as RBG. Listen to learn more about the life and legacy of RBG and hear about the discrimination she herself faced as a working mom.
Read MoreMarch 7, 2014
6:03
Being a working mother is difficult, but being one of the first two females on the Supreme Court may be even harder. Listen to learn how the female justices of the Supreme Court juggle family obligations and the demands of the court, and how challenges facing working women have changed over the past decades.
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