LWVUS has official positions on Congress and the Presidency but lacks a formal position on the Federal Judiciary.  At the 2024 LWVUS Convention, delegates overwhelmingly agreed to conduct a new national study on the Federal Judiciary. Given the immediacy of the situation, the study was intended to be completed in a shortened time frame - conducted in just one year. The final position is set to be adopted at LWVUS Council in June 2025.  

The 2024-25 Federal Judiciary Study Committee

• Chair: Kimberley Fraser (District of Columbia)
• Vice Chair: Helen Hutchison (California)
• Judy Ball (West Virginia)
• Susan Hart (Texas)
• Joan Hunault (Michigan)
• Cecile Scoon (Florida)
• Nan Shuker (District of Columbia)

Scope of Study

• To develop a LWV position on the Federal Judiciary as an essential component of US democracy.
• The study's purpose includes, but is not limited to, addressing concerns and clarifying judicial accountability, transparency, independence, and ethics.
• The scope addresses the Supreme Court as well as the other Article III federal courts.

Research and Discussion

Background Resources

• Understanding Federal Courts: This publication is from the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. It provides an introduction to the federal justice system, including how it is organized and how it relates to the legislative and administrative branches of government.

• U.S Code of Conduct for U.S. Judges: This document includes the ethical principles that apply to federal judges and provides guidance on the official duties and engagements related to outside activities for federal judges.

• Congressional Research Service Paper, The Supreme Court Adopts a Code of Conduct: This document was published following the announcement of the US Supreme Court's adoption of the Code of Conduct and provides a legal sidebar with background information on federal judicial ethics rules before the adoption of the code and briefly outlines the substance of the code adopted.

Policy Briefs

The Federal Judiciary Study (FJS) Committee has prepared a series of policy briefs on particular, specific topics designed to help spark discussion among League members as we work toward a LWVUS position on the federal judiciary.