January saw Biden judges write or cast deciding votes in ten important appellate rulings across the country, including four that helped protect workers’ rights. Examples included a decision that upheld a New York law protecting fast food industry workers, a ruling that allowed a nurse’s disability claim to proceed, and a holding that affirmed a state equal pay act judgment for a woman psychologist. Two Biden judges upheld a preliminary injunction that stopped a city from punishing homeless people.
Each case is summarized below, along with a link to the full People For the American Way blog entry on the decision and to the ruling itself. Links to previous PFAW analyses of Biden judge cases are also below. Such rulings by Biden judges demonstrate the importance to all of us of promptly nominating and confirming fair-minded judges.
The Biden White House and Senate Democrats have been working hard to rebalance the courts after four years of Trump-McConnell judges. While they are closing the gap with Trump, they have much more to do. As of February 9, the Senate has confirmed 177 Biden judges, which puts Biden and Schumer 15 confirmations behind where Trump and McConnell were at this point four years ago (192 judges at this date). Updated statistics can be found here.
- Biden Judge Casts Deciding Vote to Affirm State Equal Pay Act Judgment for Woman Psychologist Against Hospital Corporation
- Biden Judges Cast Deciding Votes to Allow Nurse’s Claim for Disability Benefits to Proceed
- Biden Judge Upholds Law Helping Fast Food Industry Workers
- Biden Judges Reverse Order Penalizing Individual Who Sued the Law Firm that Foreclosed on His Home
- Biden Judge Casts Deciding Vote to Allow Cruel and Unusual Punishment Claim to Go Forward
- Biden Judge Casts Deciding Vote to Allow Medical Supply Firm’s Antitrust Suit to Go Forward, Despite Dissent From Trump Judge
- Biden Judge Upholds NLRB Ruling Protecting Telecom Workers
- Biden Judges Uphold Injunction Against City’s Actions Punishing Homeless People
- Biden Judge Rejects Immunity for Prosecutor who Helped Get False Evidence That Convicted an Innocent Black Man
- Biden Judges Uphold Injunction Against City’s Actions Punishing Homeless People
Previous PFAW analyses of Biden judge rulings include our September 2022 report, July 2023 report, and monthly summaries for September , October, November, and December of 2023.