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Courts Matter Illinois is a coalition of diverse organizations and individuals working to ensure a federal judiciary comprised of judges committed to upholding constitutional values. Our judicial systems at the state and federal levels are a vital part of the checks and balances defending people’s rights. Federal and state judges -- appointed and elected -- make decisions about every aspect of our lives. From the quality of the air we breathe and water we drink, to our consumer protections, reproductive rights, and who we can marry: Courts Matter!
Briefing on Nominee for 8th Circuit Court of Appeals Mar. 31
Briefing on Nominee for 8th Circuit Court of Appeals Mar. 31
Learn more about Justin Smith, nominee for the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals who is opposed by Courts Matter Illinois. AFJ Action will hold a virtual briefing on Tuesday Mar. 31 at 12 pm CT to share information about this extreme nominee whose history as a partisan operative and personal attorney to Donald Trump raises serious questions about his ability to be fair and independent. Register here!
Supreme Court Hearings 2026 March/April Schedule
Supreme Court Hearings 2026 March/April Schedule
Here's a schedule of upcoming hearings in 2026 that Courts Matter Illinois is monitoring:
ABOUAMMO v. UNITED STATES, Mar. 30
PITCHFORD v. CAIN, Mar. 31
TRUMP v. BARBARA, Apr. 1
Visit our SCOTUS Page for more details. Oral arguments occur at 9AM Central. Listen in here.
Senate Judiciary Committee
Senate Judiciary Committee
At the judiciary committee’s March 25 hearing, featuring Evan Rikhye to the District Court for the District of the Virgin Islands (which is not a lifetime position), Katie Lane (opposed by Courts Matter Illinois) to the District Court for the District of Montana, Sheria Clarke to the District Court for the District of South Carolina, and Kara Westercamp to the Court of International Trade, all of the nominees refused to answer questions about who won the 2020 presidential election and whether the January 6 insurrection was an attack on the Capitol.
Senators also grilled Katie Lane on her very scant legal experience which falls short of the American Bar Association’s 12 year threshold. In response to questioning from Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Lane admitted she had taken one deposition and conducted one cross examination in federal court.
Kara Westercamp was questioned on her social media posts attacking senators.
After the spring holiday recess, the committee is planning to hold a hearing on April 15 which is expected to feature: Justin Smith for the Eighth Circuit (opposed by Courts Matter Illinois) and nominees to the District Court for the District of Kansas Tony Mattivi (opposed by Courts Matter Illinois) Jeffrey Kuhlman; and Anthony Powell (opposed by Courts Matter Illinois).
Weekly Wrap Up: Mar. 27
Weekly Wrap Up: Mar. 27
Faced with the prospect of losing some of its precious Spring recess time, the Senate stayed into the night to end the record-long shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, funding all but ICE. While senators were on their way home, moving through security lines staffed by TSA agents who hadn’t been paid for more than a month, the action shifted to the House to finally clear the funding bill.
The Senate is not expected to return to Washington for another two and a half weeks. While senators are back home, they should be hearing from us about the need to carefully scrutinize President Trump’s judicial nominees and oppose any who are not fair, independent, or committed to constitutional values like equality and justice for all. They need to know that their constituents are watching and that they care about the quality of judges who sit in lifetime seats on the federal bench.
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Watson v. Republican National Committee, a consequential voting rights case from Mississippi where the state’s Republican committee challenged the state law that allowed mail-in votes to be counted if received three days after Election Day.
This case, which will be decided by June, could impact mail-in voting going forward and is set against a backdrop of many attacks on voting rights.
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