This digital toolkit is intended to aid in crafting messaging for social media, op-eds, LTEs, and any other advocacy tool and educational effort around the federal judiciary.
Please reach out to Ari Solomon, NCJW Judicial Nominations Campaign Manager, at asolomon@ncjw.org with any questions.
Talking Points
#CourtsMatter Talking Points
We believe in a federal judiciary that is of and for the people. Federal judges who serve in lifetime appointments on the federal bench must be fair, independent, and qualified with a commitment to constitutional rights for everyone.
Now more than ever, this country needs an independent judiciary. Because each federal judge wields immense power, nominees must be able to demonstrate that they will be impartial arbiters of the law.
Diversity on the federal bench is crucial. Nominees for lifetime appointments on the federal bench should come from varied professional and personal backgrounds. Such diversity helps instill confidence in our legal system — federal courts should reflect the communities they serve.
We need principled, dignified defenders of justice who will utilize their position on the bench to safeguard civil rights. The federal courts hear thousands of cases every year that have the ability to safeguard — or limit — our civil and human rights. We need judges who understand the weight of their decisions and are committed to justice.
Jewish teachings demand an independent judiciary. The famous injunction in the Torah: Tzedek, Tzedek, Tirdof, or Justice, Justice, You Shall Pursue, is situated in the context of verses imploring us to create a fair and impartial judiciary; our pursuit of a non-partisan judiciary is, in its essence, the pursuit of justice.
While the Supreme Court makes the headlines, our district and circuit courts make the final call in over ninety-nine percent of federal cases. Over 400,000 cases are filed each year in our federal district and circuit courts, and these cases affect countless Americans every day.
US Supreme Court Talking Points
The Supreme Court should reflect the country it serves. The Supreme Court decides cases that impact every community, therefore the justices must reflect America’s diversity. Nominees should come from varied professional, educational, regional, religious, and personal backgrounds and represent different age ranges, ethnicities, abilities, religions, and genders. Bringing diverse experiences and perspectives to the bench allows justices to make better-informed decisions, increases public confidence in their rulings, helps address existing inequalities, and safeguards our civil and human rights.
Dismantling legacies of white supremacy requires a fair, balanced, and diverse Supreme Court. Having justices with backgrounds in civil rights, labor law, public defendence, and more diversifies the existing makeup of the court, better ensuring the rights and liberties of everyday people are being protected in our highest court.
The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land and the final arbiter of our rights. As such, it must serve as a bastion of justice for everyone in this nation.
We believe in a federal judiciary that is of and for the people. Federal judges who serve in these lifetime appointments must be fair, independent, and qualified with a commitment to constitutional rights for everyone. This is even more critical for those appointed to serve on our nation’s highest court.
Judicial Nominees
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson*
NCJW Supports Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. Check here for more information and how to take action!
To protect and advance civil rights and ensure health care access, we need fair-minded judges who will bolster the rights of everyone. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the D.C. Circuit is a step in the right direction and will put a champion of equal justice on one of the highest courts in the nation. Jackson has a proven record of protecting the rights of everyone, no matter their race or background, instead of picking and choosing whose rights our courts protect.
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is eminently qualified for this role and has a deep commitment to equal justice. The U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed her to serve on the U.S. Sentencing Commission as well as the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Since 2013, Judge Jackson has served on the federal bench with distinction.
Candace Jackson-Akiwumi*
NCJW Supports Candace Jackson-Akiwumi to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Check here for more information and how to take action!
We need judges who prioritize equal justice – that is how we expand health care access and protect voting rights. Candace Jackson-Akiwumi has a proven record of fighting for equal justice.
Confirming Candace Jackson-Akiwumi to the Seventh Circuit is vital. The Seventh Circuit, which includes Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana, is the only all-white Circuit Court in the country. The court serves more than 7.5 million people of color, including 2.8 million Black residents, 3.1 million Latino residents, and 1 million Asian American residents living in the states this court represents. The circuit court makes decisions that affect all these people’s lives. They deserve a circuit court that reflects the diversity of the communities they live in.
The nomination of Candace Jackson-Akiwumi, a powerful proponent of justice for all people in America, to the Seventh Circuit is inspired. Jackson-Akiwumi will be the first Black woman confirmed to a Circuit Court in 10 years. Her lived experiences and deep commitment to equal justice make her uniquely qualified for this position. We urge Congress to swiftly confirm Jackson-Akiwumi. She has the record of working for equal justice for all people in America that our judiciary needs.
*NCJW would like to thank the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights for their work on the above talking points.
Sample Social Media
Hashtags
#CourtsMatter #ConfirmJudgeJackson #ConfirmJacksonAkiwumi
Jewish tradition is clear that everyone deserves equal treatment under the law. As the Torah teaches, “You shall have one standard of law for non-citizen & citizens alike” (Leviticus 24:22). Take action through our #CourtsMatter site to make sure federal judges are fair, qualified, & independent. https://bit.ly/3vDqKcL
Call your senators! #CourtsMatter and we need fair, independent, and qualified judges like Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson and Candace Jackson-Akiwumi. ☎️ 202.224.3121 #ConfirmJacksonAkiwumi #ConfirmJudgeJackson
Take action with NCJW and let's get Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson & Candace Jackson-Akiwumi confirmed! #ConfirmJudgeJackson #ConfirmJacksonAkiwumi https://bit.ly/3nvuom7
The Supreme Court makes headlines but over 400,000 cases a year are filed in federal district and circuit courts. 99% of the time these courts have the final say over these cases that impact our daily lives. It is critical that those in these decision making roles are fair, independent and qualified. Take action with NCJW: https://bit.ly/3vDqKcL
Demographic diversity in the courts is critical to dismantling the legacy of white supremacy. We must have judges who have backgrounds and experiences that are reflective of the people if we are to have a judicial branch that is for the people.