Durbin Statement on Supreme Court Nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

CHICAGO – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement after President Joe Biden announced his intention to nominate D.C. Circuit Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson—former clerk to Justice Stephen Breyer—to be the next Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court: 

“From a strong list of prospective candidates, President Biden has chosen an extraordinary nominee in D.C. Circuit Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.  To be the first to make history in our nation you need to have an exceptional life story.  Judge Jackson’s achievements are well known to the Senate Judiciary Committee as we approved her to the D.C. Circuit less than a year ago with bipartisan support. We will begin immediately to move forward on her nomination with the careful, fair, and professional approach she and America are entitled to.” 

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, 51, has served on the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit since her bipartisan confirmation in June 2021.  Prior to that, Judge Jackson served on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia from 2013 to 2021, and as a Senate-confirmed Commissioner and Vice Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission.  Before her appointment to the Sentencing Commission, Jackson was Of Counsel at the law firm Morrison & Foerster LLP (2007-2010); an Assistant Federal Public Defender in Washington, D.C. (2005-2007); and an Assistant Special Counsel on the Sentencing Commission (2003-2005).

Earlier in her career, Jackson worked as an associate at three law firms—the Feinberg Group, LLP (2002-2003), Goodwin Procter LLP (2000-2002), and Miller, Cassidy, Larroca & Lewin LLP (1998-1999).  Additionally, Jackson clerked at all three levels of the federal Judiciary—for Justice Stephen Breyer on the Supreme Court (1999-2000), Judge Bruce Selya on the First Circuit (1997-1998), and Judge Patti B. Saris on the District of Massachusetts (1996-1997).  Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Miami, Florida, Jackson earned her B.A. magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1992 and her J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1996.

Judge Jackson has been confirmed by the Senate to three different positions: On June 14, 2021, the Senate confirmed Jackson to be United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit, by a bipartisan vote of 53-44; on March 23, 2013, the Senate confirmed Jackson to be United States District Judge for the District of Columbia, by voice vote; and on February 11, 2010, the Senate confirmed Jackson to be a Member of the United States Sentencing Commission, by voice vote.

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