Here is a summary of the article:
Jimmy Carter’s Four Years in Office Reshaped the Federal Judiciary
During his single term as President, Jimmy Carter made an impact on the federal courts, appointing 262 federal judges and diversifying the bench. He appointed a record number of minority and female jurists, including 57 minority judges and 41 female judges, helped by the creation of the Circuit Court Nominating Commissions. Carter had a plan to nominate a woman to the Supreme Court, with Judge Shirley Hufstedler in mind, but the opportunity never arose.
Despite not appointing any justices to the Supreme Court during his presidency, Carter’s appointees had significant influence. Two of his appointees, Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, later served on the Supreme Court, with Breyer retiring in 2022 and Ginsburg passing away in 2020. Ginsburg credited Carter with paving the way for women on the federal bench, saying, “Jimmy Carter deserves tremendous credit for that.” Carter’s impact on the judiciary helped to pave the way for future generations of judges to follow in their footsteps.
