Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law Volume 11 | Issue 3 Article 3 2011 Carter's Groundbreaking Appointment of Women to the Federal Bench: His Other "Human Rights" Record Mary L. Clark American University Washington College of Law,
[email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/jgspl Part of the Courts Commons, and the Women Commons Recommended Citation Clark, Mary L. "Carter's Groundbreaking Appointment of Women to the Federal Bench: His Other "Human Rights" Record." American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law. 11, no. 3 (2003): 1131-1163. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Washington College of Law Journals & Law Reviews at Digital Commons @ American University Washington College of Law. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ American University Washington College of Law. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Clark: Carter's Groundbreaking Appointment of Women to the Federal Bench CLARK.DOC 11/24/2003 9:01 AM CARTER’S GROUNDBREAKING APPOINTMENT OF WOMEN TO THE FEDERAL BENCH: HIS OTHER “HUMAN RIGHTS” RECORD MARY L. CLARK∗ Introduction: Carter’s Pathbreaking Achievement ........................1132 I. Carter’s Judicial Appointment Reforms Were Critical to His Success in Naming Women to the Bench .................................1134 A. Carter’s Commitment to Judicial Reform as Governor of Georgia and 1976 Presidential Candidate.............................1134 B. Traditions Governing Federal Judicial Appointments Before Carter ..........................................................................1135 C. Carter Wrenches Court of Appeals Appointments Away From Senatorial Prerogative and Political Patronage ...........1136 1.