Ketanji Brown Jackson Fast Facts
CNN Editorial Research
Here is a look at the life of US Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
Personal
Birth date: September 14, 1970
Birth place: Washington, DC
Birth name: Ketanji Onyika Brown
Father: Johnny Brown, attorney
Mother: Ellery Brown, school principal
Marriage: Patrick Jackson (1996-present)
Children: Leila and Talia
Education: Harvard University, B.A., 1992, magna cum laude; Harvard Law School, J.D., 1996, cum laude
Religion: Nondenominational Protestant
Other Facts
Ketanji Onyika is an African name meaning “lovely one.”
While at Harvard Law School, Jackson served as a supervising editor for the Harvard Law Review.
Jackson is the first Black woman to be nominated to the United States Supreme Court.
Jackson is the first justice to be a former public defender.
Jackson is related by marriage to former House Speaker and longtime Republican Rep. Paul Ryan.
Timeline
1992-1993 – Staff reporter and researcher at Time magazine.
1996-1997 – Law Clerk for District of Massachusetts Judge Patti B. Saris.
1997-1998 – Law Clerk for First Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Bruce M. Selya.
1998-1999 – Associate at Miller, Cassidy, Larroca & Lewin LLP.
1999-2000 – Law Clerk for Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer.
2000-2002 – Associate at Goodwin Procter LLP.
2002-2003 – Associate at Feinberg Rozen, LLP (formerly known as The Feinberg Group, LLP).
2003 -2005 – Assistant Special Counsel at the United States Sentencing Commission.
2005 -2007 – Assistant Federal Public Defender in Washington, DC.
2007-2010 – Of Counsel at Morrison & Foerster LLP.
2010-2014 – Vice Chair and Commissioner at the United States Sentencing Commission.
September 20, 2012 – President Barack Obama nominates Jackson for US District Court Judge. On March 23, 2013, the Senate votes to confirm Jackson.
March 30, 2021 – President Joe Biden announces his intent to nominate Jackson for the United States Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. On June 14, the Senate votes 53-44 to confirm Jackson.
February 25, 2022 – Biden announces he has selected Jackson as his nominee to the Supreme Court.
April 7, 2022 – The Senate votes 53-47 to confirm Jackson.
June 30, 2022 – Jackson is sworn in as an associate justice to the United States Supreme Court, becoming the first Black woman to take a seat on the high court.
September 30, 2022 – Jackson’s investiture ceremony is held.
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