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In this series

Why Courts Matter: The D.C. Circuit
Article

Why Courts Matter: The D.C. Circuit

Regardless of where you live or the issues you care about, the D.C. Circuit makes decisions on issues that matter to you.

The D.C. Circuit: Rebutting Senate Republicans
Article

The D.C. Circuit: Rebutting Senate Republicans

Even though there are currently three vacancies on the 11-seat D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, Senate Republicans have signaled that they plan block any additional D.C. Circuit nominations made by President Obama.

Why Courts Matter: National Security
Article

Why Courts Matter: National Security

Federal courts serve as a last resort in striking a balance between security and civil liberties.

Why Courts Matter: The Environment
Article

Why Courts Matter: The Environment

Current vacancies must be filled with judges who enforce laws that protect the environment.

Why Courts Matter: Diversity
Article

Why Courts Matter: Diversity

A diverse federal bench improves the quality of justice and instills confidence that judges understand the real-world implications of their decisions.

Why the D.C. Circuit Matters
Article

Why the D.C. Circuit Matters

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit is often considered the second most important court in the land, after the Supreme Court.

Why Courts Matter: Latino Rights
Article

Why Courts Matter: Latino Rights

The federal courts often must step in to stop laws or practices that violate the rights of minorities, and Latinos are the largest ethnic minority in the country.

Marriage Equality at the U.S. Supreme Court
Article

Marriage Equality at the U.S. Supreme Court

On March 26, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a case challenging the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8, a ballot measure that repealed marriage for same-sex couples in California by amending the state constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

Why Courts Matter: LGBT Rights
Article

Why Courts Matter: LGBT Rights

The federal courts play a pivotal role in the lives of gay and transgender Americans, often serving as the last resort in protecting LGBT rights.

Sequestration and the Federal Judiciary
Article

Sequestration and the Federal Judiciary

The sequester will make it even harder for Americans to access federal courts and gain justice.

Why Courts Matter: Voting Rights and Shelby County v. Holder
Article

Why Courts Matter: Voting Rights and Shelby County v. Holder

As we saw in the 2012 election, voting rights are still under attack, and so it has become more important than ever to have judges and justices who understand that the right to vote must be protected and all Americans – regardless of their background – have a right to fully participate in our democracy.

Advocating Why Courts Matter Through the Media
Article

Advocating Why Courts Matter Through the Media

When we convince members of the media to cover our issues, they expose our knowledge and stories to a mass audience. Through this coverage, we can begin to influence public opinion and bring about change.

Media Advocacy Tools
Article

Media Advocacy Tools

Media advocacy tools are what we use to attract a reporter’s coverage. Utilizing these tools at the correct “newsworthy” time will hopefully result in media attention.

Sample Action on Nominee
Article

Sample Action on Nominee

A sample request letter to constituents to take action regarding a judicial nominee.

Twitter 101
Article

Twitter 101

Developing a profile on Twitter is essential to advocacy work.