Alliance for Justice

Alliance for Justice
Motto Fighting for a Fair America
Formation 1979
Headquarters Washington, D.C.
Location
President
 Nan Aron
Budget (2013)
 $4,264,390[1]
Revenue (2013)
 $4,851,550[1]
Website www.afj.org

Alliance for Justice (AFJ) is a liberal judicial watchdog group in the United States.[2] Founded in 1979 by current president Nan Aron, AFJ monitors federal judicial appointments. AFJ represents a coalition of 100 politically liberal groups that have an interest in the federal judiciary.[3]

According to the organization, "AFJ works to ensure that the federal judiciary advances core constitutional values, preserves human rights and unfettered access to the courts, and adheres to the even-handed administration of justice for all Americans."[4]

Judicial advocacy

AFJ launched the Judicial Selection Project in 1985 to monitor the federal judicial appointment system.[5] According to AFJ's founder, Nan Aron, the organization wanted to guard against the ideological impact of Ronald Reagan's federal judicial nominees.[6] AFJ objects to judicial nominees who oppose abortion or who promise to exercise judicial restraint.[2] The organization provides background on prospective nominees to the American Bar Association and the Senate Judiciary Committee.[2]

AFJ played a role in the defeat of Ronald Reagan nominee Robert Bork's nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1987.[7] In 2001, the organization supported the nomination of Roger Gregory, a Bill Clinton nominee and the first African-American judge in the Fourth Circuit in 2001.[8] In 2013, AFJ supported President Barack Obama's three nominees for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.[9]

Member organizations

AFJ reports a membership of over 100 organizations. On its website, AFJ lists the following member groups:[10]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "IRS Form 990 2013" (PDF). GuideStar. Internal Revenue Service. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Clarity, James; Weaver Jr., Warren (January 18, 1985). "Here Come the Judges". Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  3. ↑ Horwitz, Sari; Eilperin, Juliet (November 7, 2014). "Obama to nominate Justice prosecutor Lynch for attorney general". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  4. ↑ "About AFJ". Alliance for Justice. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  5. ↑ Steigerwalt, Amy (2010). Battle over the Bench: Senators, Interest Groups, and Lower Court Confirmations. University of Virginia Press. p. 11. ISBN 9780813929989.
  6. ↑ Scherer, Nancy (2005). Scoring Points: Politicians, Activists, and the Lower Federal Court Appointment Process. Stanford University Press. p. 110. ISBN 9780804749497.
  7. ↑ Greenhouse, Linda (December 4, 1987). "Supreme Court Nominations; After Bork, the Liberals' Silence On Judge Kennedy Is Deafening". New York Times. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  8. ↑ Savage, David (July 21, 2001). "Senate Confirms 3 of Bush's Judicial Nominees". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  9. ↑ Eilperin, Juliet (May 28, 2013). "Obama to launch push to reshape D.C. Circuit with 3 simultaneous nominations". Washington Post. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  10. ↑ "Member Organizations". Alliance For Justice. Retrieved 24 February 2015.

External links