The U.S. Constitution establishes a federal court system that empowers ordinary individuals to hold accountable even the most powerful people and corporations. But when people’s access to courts is choked off, ordinary people lose and the already-powerful benefit. One of the most devious ways to impede access to courts is to ensure there aren’t enough judges to hear cases, and that is just what Senate Republicans continue to do through their unprecedented obstruction of President Obama’s judicial nominees.

The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts reports that there are currently 38 judicial emergencies in the United States. That is an administrative designation for courts where there are so many vacancies that the remaining judges cannot effectively do their jobs. The Senate could significantly reduce that number without delay by finally having floor votes on the 25 nominees who have been reported by the Judiciary Committee.

Most of these have been pending since at least May, yet Republicans, abusing their minority position, stubbornly refuse to allow a confirmation vote. You might not guess from the GOP’s insistence on delay that all of these nominees except one enjoyed strong bipartisan support in committee. In fact, 22 of the 25 were approved without recorded opposition. There is simply no good reason not to hold an immediate vote on these consensus nominees.

Thirteen of these consensus nominees would fill judicial emergencies, immediately reducing by a third the number of urgently overstressed courts.

But as long as Senate Republicans continue to sabotage the judicial branch of the United States government, more and more Americans will find themselves unable to have their day in court. That’s bad for America, but good for giant corporations seeking to avoid being held accountable.

It is clear which of these two Senate Republicans are looking out for.