Race and gender in judicial selection in the United States

This chapter explores the impact of race and gender in judicial selection in federal and state courts in the United States. We first focus on federal selection, highlighting the distinctive process and obstacles faced by people of color and women Supreme Court and lower court nominees during presidential selection and Senate confirmation. Broadening to the state courts, we look at the historic first female and racial minority judges and then examine how different selection systems impact representation on the bench. At both the state and federal levels, we see that the decision to prioritize or fight the selection of women and persons of color as judges is often driven by the promise of political benefits. As we conclude the chapter, we highlight some lessons gleaned from the expanded diversity on the bench and what policy makers can do to continue the march onward.