ACCD Statement: The First Public Defender on the Supreme Court Will Be a Landmark Moment for the Legal System, Says American Council of Chief Defenders

Contact: Rabiah Burks, [email protected]

The First Public Defender on the Supreme Court Will Be a Landmark Moment for the Legal System, Says American Council of Chief Defenders

In response to President Biden’s nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, Stan Germán, Chair of the American Council of Chief Defenders (“ACCD”), issued the following statement on behalf of ACCD:

“We applaud the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. Her appointment would represent a landmark moment for our legal system as the first justice to have legal experience as a public defender. This imminently qualified jurist would bring a deep-rooted knowledge of our criminal legal system from the perspective of an attorney who has represented low-income persons accused of crimes. She would be the first justice with substantial criminal defense experience since Thurgood Marshall retired over thirty years ago.

As a former public defender, Judge Jackson had a front-row seat to the disparate harms afflicted on low-income communities of color. It is striking that this legal experience has been absent from the high court since its inception in 1789. No legal professionals are better suited to understand the challenges which confront indigent persons who have been accused of crimes — Judge Jackson understands the imbalances of power in the courtroom and the ways the legal system criminalizes poverty and disproportionately targets individuals based on race and ethnicity.  As we approach the 59th anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright, a qualified jurist with prior public defense experience is long overdue. 

Judge Jackson’s presence will be a benefit to the Court and the nation for years to come. We urge the Senate to confirm her appointment as soon as possible."

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The American Council of Chief Defenders (ACCD) is a national community of public defense leaders dedicated to securing a fair justice system and ensuring high-quality legal representation for people facing loss of life, freedom, or family.