Biden Celebrates Judicial Appointments in Final Days of Presidency

he has appointed one more federal judge than his predecessor, Donald Trump, with the Senate confirming 235 of his judicial nominees before his term concludes on January 20. This achievement is particularly noteworthy as Biden's success lies largely in the appointments of lower court judges.

During a ceremony at the White House, President Biden expressed pride in the diversity of his judicial nominees, claiming it to be the most diverse slate in U.S. history. He pointed to landmark appointments, including the first Black woman on the Supreme Court and a higher representation of Black women in the appeals courts than in any previous administration. Biden was joined by outgoing Senate leaders Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin, both of whom praised the impact these judges could have on protecting democratic principles amid rising concerns about the future of democracy in the country.

Schumer stressed the importance of these judges as a safeguard for democracy, given the uncertainty surrounding the political landscape and the potential for challenges to democratic institutions. He underscored the critical role that district-level judges will play in cases involving voting rights and elections. Durbin pointed out that more than 25% of currently serving judges were nominated by Biden.

Among Biden's notable appointments is Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. In comparison, Trump had his own successes, including three Supreme Court justices and a significant number of appointments to the appeals courts. However, Biden outpaced Trump in district court appointments, a distinction that highlights the differing focus of their judicial nominations.

Despite this accomplishment, both Biden and Trump fall short of the record set by President Jimmy Carter, who had 258 judicial appointments during a single term. Experts note that Biden's appointees predominantly replaced those from previous Democratic administrations, while Trump's judges largely replaced Republican appointees, indicating a more substantial shift in judicial philosophy across the boards during Trump's presidency. Critics have been quick to downplay Biden's celebration, questioning the significance of narrowly surpassing Trump in judicial nominations and suggesting that the celebration is unwarranted given the small margin.