Last Thursday, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee voted 13-9 to advance the nomination of School of Law alumna Judge DeAndrea G. Benjamin ’97 to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. 

 Of the 11 Republican senators on the Judiciary Committee, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis supported Benjamin’s nomination. 

Why it matters 

Nearly half of the 100 federal judges nominated by President Biden and confirmed by the Senate are women of color, including Benjamin. 

Background 

Biden announced his nomination of Benjamin in August. For the last 10 years, Benjamin has served on South Carolina’s Fifth Judicial Circuit  

 What’s next 

Should voting not take place before year’s end, Biden will begin the re-nomination process in the new year.