
Ben
Olinsky
Senior Vice President, Structural Reform and Governance; Senior Fellow
Structural Reform and Governance
The Courts and Legal Policy team works to advance reforms to make America’s legal system more accessible and just for ordinary people.
Despite recent and historic gains, America’s federal judges remain overwhelmingly white and male, and the bench is stacked with those from corporate law backgrounds and former federal prosecutors. Appointing diverse nominees with diverse backgrounds is essential to strengthening the courts.
From significant expansion of the lower courts to instituting term limits for Supreme Court justices, it is critical to enact reforms that will ensure that the size of the judiciary and the makeup of the Supreme Court reflect the needs of the American people and the realities of modern life.
Too often, justice in America’s courtrooms is only accessible to those with means and in power. The need to expand access to justice has only become more pressing as COVID-19 has exacerbated long-standing legal inequities. All people, regardless of income or status, deserve high-quality legal help.
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Join CAP and the Brennan Center for Justice a discussion on opportunities for structural reform of the Supreme Court and the courts more generally.
The Supreme Court’s extreme right-wing majority is poised to roll back long-standing rights and laws. This activism threatens public trust in the court and our democracy.
The U.S. Supreme Court began offering remote, real-time audio broadcasts of its oral arguments during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it should continue to provide such access upon resuming normal operations.
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s exemplary background reflects the Biden administration’s commitment to nominating exceptional judges at every level.
The judiciary and courts are critical in the fight against climate change, and environmental judges are essential to protecting the nation's future.
As litigation continues over efforts to address climate change, it is critical that America’s federal courts include judges with professional expertise advancing climate protection policies.
Congress must ensure the federal judiciary reflects the needs and diversity of the people it serves.
The automatic clearing of eligible criminal records can help to foster civic engagement and build a healthier democracy.
Individual and collective accountability for the family separation policy is needed to hold individuals responsible, restore faith in government institutions, prevent further abuses, and provide appropriate redress.
The Biden administration can further advance its key priorities by restoring federal leadership on access to justice issues.
Americans’ civil liberties are in danger if Congress does not ensure that ordinary people can hold state and federal officials accountable for wrongdoing.
Author Maggie Jo Buchanan makes the case for disbarring Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump's lawyers, and lawmakers who were complicit in the former president's efforts to overturn the election, arguing that professional repercussions are necessary in order for the legal profession's codes of conduct to have any meaning.