On Friday, Feb. 25, 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson to be the first black woman as a Supreme Court Justice. Over the past few and the coming few weeks, Jackson’s speeches, interviews, and all other information in order to prepare lines of questioning for the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing will be closely examined. 

“I believe it’s time that we have a court that reflects the full talents and greatness of our nation with a nominee of extraordinary qualifications, and that we inspire all young people to believe that they can one day serve their country at the highest level,” Biden stated. 

Prior to 2012, Jackson was a public defender for those who couldn’t afford lawyers in court. In 2012, she was nominated by former President Barack Obama and worked for eight years as a judge(from 2013 to June of 2021), and during that time on the District Court, Jackson wrote multiple decisions opposing the Trump administration and was moved up to appellate court in 2021. 

“As a public defender, Jackson represented poor people who could not afford lawyers, arguing their cases and ensuring that their constitutional rights were protected whether they were ultimately found guilty or not guilty,” NBC News wrote. 

Jackson’s nomination had some objections. According to NBC News, “Some senators are split over President Joe Biden’s pledge to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court to succeed Justice Stephen Breyer when he retires later this year.” Some Republicans believe that, because Jackson was a public defender, she will not follow the law, and therefore be unable to deliver justice.

“Look, she was a public defender, but that doesn’t mean she is soft on crime, that she’s pro-criminal. There’s not a single public defender ever who was pro-crime. They are defending the Constitution and the rights of folks,” Senator Doug Jones says on CNN, unbelieving that Jackson would be able to take on and handle the role of Justice. 

Despite this, with a vote of 53-44, Jackson was soon confirmed by the U.S Senate to be a nominee for the Supreme Court. 

“For too long, our government, our courts haven’t looked like America. I believe it’s time that we have a court that reflects the full talents and greatness of our nation with a nominee of extraordinary qualifications, and that we inspire all young people to believe that they can one day serve their country at the highest level,” Biden said.

The decision to nominate Jackson was one made, not only in order to have a court that reflects the true virtue of the nation as it is, but also to better it further as an important aspect to the country of America.