The nomination of federal appellate judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court is one of the top national stories being covered in the media today. With this nomination receiving so much media coverage, it is an excellent time for a primer on the nomination and confirmation process. The same basic process applies to all Article III federal judges, whether for the trial-level district courts, the circuit courts of appeals, or the Supreme Court. The process also demonstrates one of the ways in which the three different branches of our federal government serve as checks and balances on each other.
NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
A Timely Look At The Constitutional Nomination And Confirmation Process
Judge Wade Hampton McCree, Jr.: A Distinguished Public Servant
February is Black History Month. Dr. Carter G. Woodson originally established it as a one-week observance in 1926. He picked the second week of February in memory of the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. In 1976, the celebration was extended to the entire month. It highlights the accomplishments and achievements of African Americans that might otherwise go unrecognized.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Many people repeat Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s quotation that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” President Barack Obama, for one, repeated it often. Where did this quotation come from, and what is its connection to the federal courts?
Bill Of Rights Day
We recognize December 15 as Bill of Rights Day. President Franklin D. Roosevelt designated this day by proclamation in 1941 to observe and honor the ratification of the first ten amendments to the Unites States Constitution. But how did the Bill of Rights itself come to be?
The Grand Jury - The People's Gatekeeper
One of the most important parts of our federal judicial system is the jury. Most people know the role of the trial jury in determining guilt or innocence in a criminal trial and liability in a civil trial. But there is another type of federal jury that is critical to the operation of our federal judiciary—the grand jury.
Civil Discourse - A Necessary Skill In Our Demoracy
Federal Courts often encounter disputes where the stakes are high, litigants hold strongly opposed opinions, and emotions run hot. Add to this a variety of sometimes conflicting personalities, and you might expect unsolvable disputes.
Constitution Day 2021 - The Constitution Is For Us All
On Thursday, September 16, 2021, close to a hundred people came together on the steps of the federal courthouse to celebrate the most basic thing we share as Americans: that together, we are “We the people,” and the Constitution is for all of us.
Bankruptcy Court - The Court of Second Chances
What do the following fifteen people have in common: Presidents Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and William McKinley; Senator George McGovern; business innovators Henry Ford, J.C. Penney, and Henry John Heinz; financial advisor Dave Ramsey; talk-show host Larry King; celebrated author Mark Twain; entertainment entrepreneurs Walt Disney and P.T. Barnum; actress Debbie Reynolds; and NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback Johnny Unitas?
Active Citizenship
This month we celebrated Independence Day, our nation’s birthday. The Fourth of July holiday reminds us of the founders’ tremendous civic activism and engagement in forming a new nation. In the years leading up to the decision to separate from England in 1776, they engaged in debates, arguments, assemblies, and public appeals on the pros and cons of separation.
To Support And Defend The Constitution
Every year, the Eastern District of Tennessee Civics Education and Outreach Committee partners with local chapters of the Federal Bar Association to sponsor local essay contests for high school students. The contests, which focus on some aspect of civics education, are open to public, private, and home-school high school students in all 41 counties in east Tennessee.