Official announcements from the White House or the U.S. Senate records

Biden Sets Record with 235 Diverse Judicial Confirmations, Including First Black Woman on Supreme Court

Jan 2, 2025, 08:27 PM

President Joe Biden announced that his administration has secured 235 federal judicial confirmations during his term, surpassing the record of 234 set by his predecessor, President Donald Trump. The confirmations include one Supreme Court Justice—the first Black woman to serve on the court—45 Circuit Court Judges, 187 District Court Judges, and two judges on the Court of International Trade. This achievement results from collaboration between the President and Senate Democrats, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer calling it "historic" as it marks the highest number of confirmations by any majority in decades. The Biden administration emphasizes the diversity of the appointed judges, including numerous historic firsts with more Black women appointed to the Courts of Appeal than all previous administrations combined. The judiciary now better reflects the nation's demographics, with appointments of Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, Muslim Americans, and LGBTQ+ judges. President Biden stated, "These judges will be independent, they’ll be fair and they’ll be impartial. And they’ll respect the rule of law." He added, "For the first time in a long time, we have a bench that looks like and represents all of America." The newly appointed judges are expected to uphold the nation's founding principles of liberty, justice, and equality for decades to come, serving as a vital check on the excesses of other branches of government.