The Lawyers’ Committee applauds President Obama’s nomination today of the Honorable Judge Abdul K. Kallon to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Judge Kallon’s nomination would fill a federal judicial seat that has been vacant since 2013. The Lawyers’ Committee urges the United States Senate to prioritize and move forward with a confirmation process to address the judicial emergency that has arisen as a result of this long-standing vacancy on the Court. Previously, President Obama nominated Judge Kallon to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. The U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Kallon on November 21, 2009. Since his confirmation, he has earned a reputation as a conscientious and fair–minded jurist. Judge Kallon’s experience and record developed during his tenure on the U.S. District Court makes him well equipped to handle the array of legal issues that come before U.S. Circuit Courts. Moreover, Judge Kallon’s confirmation marks a historic occasion: he would be the first African-American judge to sit on the Alabama seat for the Eleventh Circuit.
“Judge Kallon’s confirmation would mark a significant milestone in the ongoing effort to achieve judicial diversity across our nation. No African American has ever been named to sit on the Alabama seat for the Eleventh Circuit Court which hears cases from Florida, Alabama and Georgia – one of the most diverse regions of the country,” stated Lawyers’ Committee President and Executive Director Kristen Clarke. “We commend President Obama for responding to the judicial emergency that has arisen in the wake of this long-standing vacancy and for his continued commitment to promoting judicial and professional diversity on our courts.”
