Why Federal Courts Matter for Sexual Health and Reproductive Rights
Judicial Nominations: How Federal Judges Are Chosen
How do federal judges get their jobs? First, the president of the United States nominates them. Learn what happens next in the process, and where you can have an impact.
Federal Courts 101
Although the U.S. Supreme Court gets a lot of attention, U.S. district and appeals courts often have the final word on defining the law.
Don’t Underestimate Senators’ Influence on the Confirmation Process of a President’s Nominees
While one of the most important powers of the president is nominating federal judges, U.S. senators have the power to confirm or reject nominees — impacting our rights for generations.
The votes of just a few senators can make that difference.
With Sen. McConnell’s help, Trump added three justices to the Supreme Court and filled 234 lifetime judicial seats in the lower federal courts.
That's more federal judges in a four-year term than any president since President Jimmy Carter.
Nearly one in three judges on the U.S. Courts of Appeals is now a President Trump pick.
Trump’s judicial appointments were disproportionately white and male, many with records of clear hostility toward reproductive health and rights.
These judges are now making decisions that erode our access to sexual and reproductive health care.
State Legislatures and Lower Federal Courts:
In addition to the makeup of the courts dramatically shifting, states have enacted more abortion restrictions. In the last few years, lawmakers set records for the severity of state-level bans on abortion. In 2021 alone, states introduced 663 abortion restrictions and enacted 108 of these laws — a terrifying, all-time record in any single year since Roe v. Wade guaranteed our constitutional right to abortion.
Judges who are hostile to reproductive health and rights are now ruling on many of the cases involving those cruel abortion laws. They are deciding whether or not we have the ability to control our own bodies. Their rulings have devastating consequences for people who are disproportionately affected by abortion restrictions due to systemic barriers and discrimination: women of color, people with low incomes, people in rural areas, and immigrants.
Supreme Court:
Since the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision nearly 50 years ago, the U.S. Constitution has protected our right to abortion nationwide.
But Roe v. Wade is at greater risk than it has ever been before: The Supreme Court will soon decide Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case about a Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy; and the court has allowed Texas's unconstitutional six-week abortion ban to stay in effect — leaving millions of Texans effectively without the abortion rights guaranteed by Roe v. Wade.
Most legal observers expect the Supreme Court to overturn or dismantle Roe v. Wade by the summer of 2022.
State abortion restrictions and bans are accelerating at an alarming rate, and access to abortion are hanging on by a thread in many states across the country. For too many people, abortion is already out of reach.
Black and Brown communities, which deal with a legacy of systemic racism and discriminatory health care policies, are disproportionately affected by these laws.
What little access to abortion is left for people living in many states across the country could end completely if Roe v. Wade is overturned.
Planned Parenthood has defended your rights for over 100 years.
All 17 million+ supporters are not backing down.
Now, Planned Parenthood Action Fund urges you to pay attention to what Senate candidates say during the midterm elections in November, and vote for senators who promise to uphold the values of equity and justice.