Washington — Ketanji Brown Jackson was sworn as an affiliate justice of the Supreme Court docket on Thursday, formally taking her place in historical past as the primary Black girl to serve on the nation’s highest court docket.
“We’re right here right now to manage the oaths of workplace to Decide Ketanji Brown Jackson to turn into an affiliate justice of the Supreme Court docket of the US,” Chief Justice John Roberts stated at first of the ceremony, acknowledging the oaths will permit Jackson to start her work “with none additional delay.”
In a short ceremony on the Supreme Court docket that was broadcast reside, Jackson first took the constitutional oath, administered by Roberts, adopted by the judicial oath, administered by now-retired Justice Stephen Breyer. Breyer’s retirement from the excessive court docket was made official at midday on Thursday, paving the way in which for Jackson, his former clerk, to fill his seat.
“On behalf of all the members of the court docket, I’m happy to welcome Justice Jackson to the court docket and to our widespread calling,” Roberts stated, as applause broke out. Jackson took the oaths together with her hand on two Bibles held by her husband, Patrick: a household Bible, and the “Harlan” Bible, which Justice John Marshall Harlan donated to the court docket in 1906.
Supreme Court docket
In attendance for the swearing in had been most of Jackson’s new colleagues: Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett, in addition to former Justice Anthony Kennedy.
In a press release distributed by the court docket, Jackson, 51, thanked Roberts and Breyer, calling him a “private buddy and mentor” for 20 years. She stated she is “well-positioned to serve the American individuals.”
“With a full coronary heart, I settle for the solemn duty of supporting and defending the Structure of the US and administering justice with out worry or favor, so assist me God,” she stated. “I’m actually grateful to be a part of the promise of our nice nation. I prolong my sincerest because of all of my new colleagues for his or her heat and gracious welcome.”
Breyer prolonged congratulations to the latest justice.
“I’m glad right now for Ketanji. Her arduous work, integrity, and intelligence have earned her a spot on this court docket. I’m glad for my fellow justices. They achieve a colleague who’s empathetic, considerate, and collegial. I’m glad for America,” he stated in a press release. “Ketanji will interpret the regulation correctly and pretty, serving to that regulation to work higher for the American individuals, whom it serves.”
Breyer introduced in January his plans to step down on the finish of the time period, giving President Biden his first alternative to make his mark on the excessive court docket. Jackson’s addition is not going to change the ideological make-up of the court docket, which is firmly managed by the six-justice conservative majority.
“I’m honored that the very first judicial nominee I chosen as President – the good lawyer who turned ‘Decide Jackson’ – has now turn into ‘Justice Jackson,'” Mr. Biden stated in a press release Thursday. “Her historic swearing in right now represents a profound step ahead for our nation, for all of the younger, Black ladies who now see themselves mirrored on our highest court docket, and for all of us as People. The Supreme Court docket simply gained a colleague with a world-class mind, the dignified temperament the American individuals anticipate of a justice, and the strongest credentials conceivable.”
Mr. Biden additionally thanked Breyer for his “a few years of exemplary service.”
Jackson, who served on the federal appeals court docket in Washington, was confirmed by the Senate in a bipartisan vote in April.
Though three Republican senators ultimately joined all 50 Democrats in voting to approve Jackson’s nomination, her affirmation hearings weren’t with out controversy, as some GOP senators tried to color her as a soft-on-crime activist choose who would legislate from the bench.
Their criticisms, which took goal at Jackson’s sentencing document in little one pornography instances as a federal trial court docket choose, didn’t derail efforts from the White Home and Democratic Senate leaders to drum up bipartisan assist for Jackson’s nomination, piercing the partisan polarization of latest Supreme Court docket affirmation fights.
