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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!
Watch For Supreme Court Hearings 2026 May Schedule
Watch For Supreme Court Hearings 2026 May Schedule
Stay tuned for a schedule of upcoming hearings in May 2026 that Courts Matter Illinois is monitoring.
Visit our SCOTUS Page for more details. Oral arguments occur at 9AM Central. Listen in here.
Senate Judiciary Committee
Senate Judiciary Committee
The committee canceled its April 23rd mark-up, so votes are now expected on April 30 on the following nominees: Evan Rikhye to the District Court for the District of the Virgin Islands (which is not a lifetime position), Kathleen ‘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.
On April 29 (even though Senate Democrats will be at a retreat), a hearing is planned on the nominations of Jeffrey Kuntz to the District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Mike Hendershot to the District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, and Arthur “Rob” Jones and John Marck to the District Court for the Southern District of Texas.
We are hoping that the hearing will be delayed so that Democrats can be present to question nominees, especially Mike Hendershot on his troubling record on voting rights, LGBTQ issues, and reproductive rights.
On May 20, the latest circuit court nominees are expected to receive a hearing: Benjamin Flowers, former Solicitor General of Ohio, to the Sixth Circuit Court and Matthew Schwartz, Trump’s personal lawyer in the Stormy Daniels case, to the Second Circuit Court.
Finally, we await a May 14 mark-up on the nominations of Justin Smith for the Eighth Circuit (opposed) and nominees to the District Court for the District of Kansas Tony Mattivi (opposed) Jeffrey Kuhlman; and Anthony Powell (opposed).
We Stand with Justice Kagan in Louisiana v. Callais Decision
We Stand with Justice Kagan in Louisiana v. Callais Decision
Wednesday, April 29, 2026, was a sad day for court watchers who care about upholding the tenents of our democracy. It was a day of great disappointment, but not of surprise. It was the day the Supreme Court of the United States handed down its decision in the case of Louisiana v. Callais and struck down the last vestiges of the Voting Rights Act – without actually declaring the Act unconstitutional. It opened the doors for discrimination against people of color – Black, Hispanic, Asian – and other marginalized groups, and now allows states to gerrymander their way to racial and socio-economical inequality in elections in this nation.
Read our full statement here.
Weekly Wrap Up: As of Apr. 24
Weekly Wrap Up: As of Apr. 24
Even as we await decisions on some of the Supreme Court’s most contentious cases, the Court is attracting attention. With the end of the term fast approaching, retirement watch has begun with speculation that either Justice Samuel Alito or Justice Clarence Thomas might step down, giving President Trump the opportunity to name a fourth justice to the high court. Of course, rumors have been vigorously disputed especially in conservative circles.
This week, the president took to his social media soapbox to excoriate Supreme Court justices in an especially derogatory and demeaning screed, still fuming over their rejection of his tariffs and skepticism about his Executive Order ending birthright citizenship.
And the New York Times revealed some of the backstory behind the shadow docket (leaked from inside the Court!). Against this backdrop, the Supreme Court prepared for the final few arguments of the term, and the Senate confirmed Trump’s 37th judge: Andrew Davis to the District Court for the Western District of Texas (47-46).
Headlines
Headlines
(Conversation) Supreme Court’s ‘shadow docket’ brings hasty decisions
(Scotusblog) SCOTUS will hear religious liberty case on Catholic preschools and LGBTQ families
(CNN) Tapper questions judicial nominees’ reluctance to acknowledge Trump lost in 2020
(WallStJournal) Trump’s new approach to picking judges: a tighter circle and personal touch
(Reuters) Judge rejects US Justice Dept effort to obtain Rhode Island voter data
(Slate) Clarence Thomas gave a speech blaming Progressivism for Hitler. It was mostly just sad.
Separation of Church and State at Risk in the Courts
Separation of Church and State at Risk in the Courts
Courts Matter Illinois Chair and Co-Founder Carole Levine ponders the risks of a recent state court ruling in Texas that blurs the line between religious freedom and public education. Read her latest blog post, "The Ten," here.
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