Figure 1
Race and Gender of Circuit Court Appointees.
By president (1992–2016)
Table 1
Female appeals court judges appointed by Obama (2009–2016).
| Judicial Appointee | Circuit | Date Nominated |
|---|---|---|
| Julie E. Carnes | 11 | January 6, 2014 |
| Susan Laura Carney | 2 | January 5, 2011 |
| Morgan Christen | 9 | May 18, 2011 |
| Bernice Bouie Donald | 6 | January 5, 2011 |
| Michelle Taryn Friedland | 9 | January 6, 2014 |
| Pamela Ann Harris | 4 | May 8, 2014 |
| Barbara Milano Keenan | 4 | September 14, 2009 |
| Jane Louise Kelly | 8 | January 31, 2013 |
| Cheryl Ann Krause | 3 | February 6, 2014 |
| Beverly Baldwin Martin | 11 | June 19, 2009 |
| Carolyn Baldwin McHugh | 10 | January 6, 2014 |
| Patricia Ann Millett | D.C. | June 4, 2013 |
| Nancy Louise Moritz | 10 | January 6, 2014 |
| Mary Helen Murguia | 9 | March 25, 2010 |
| Jacqueline Hong-Ngoc Nguyen | 9 | September 22, 2011 |
| Kathleen McDonald O’Malley | Fed. | March 10, 2010 |
| Cornelia Thayer Livingston Pillard | D.C. | June 4, 2013 |
| Jill Anne Pryor | 11 | January 6, 2014 |
| Robin Stacie Rosenbaum | 11 | January 6, 2014 |
| Patty Shwartz | 3 | January 4, 2013 |
| Kara Farnandez Stoll | Fed. | January 7, 2015 |
| Jane Branstetter Stranch | 6 | August 6, 2009 |
| Stephanie Dawn Thacker | 4 | September 8, 2011 |
| Ojetta Rogeriee Thompson | 1 | October 6, 2009 |
Table 2
ABA Ratings.
| All Judges | Women | Racial Minority | White | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All women | All men | Nonwhite women | White women | Women | Men | Women | Men | |
| Obama | 70.8% (17/24) | 87% (27/31) | 40%* (2/5) | 78.9%* (15/19) | 40%** (2/5) | 85.7%** (12/14) | 78.9% (15/19) | 88.2% (15/17) |
| GWB | 70.6% (12/17) | 69.8% (30/43) | 66.7% (2/3) | 71.4% (10/14) | 66.7% (2/3) | 40% (2/5) | 71.4% (10/14) | 73.7% (28/38) |
| Clinton | 80% (16/20) | 71.7% (33/46) | 60% (3/5) | 86.7% (13/15) | 60% (3/5) | 58.3% (7/12) | 86.7% (13/15) | 76.5% (26/34) |
Table 3
Law Clerk Experience.
| All Judges | Women | Racial Minority | White | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All women | All men | Nonwhite women | White women | Women | Men | Women | Men | |
| Obama | 66.7% (16/24) | 70.9% (22/31) | 20%** (1/5) | 78.9%** (15/19) | 20%* (1/5) | 64.3%* (9/14) | 78.9% (15/19) | 76.5% (13/17) |
| GWB | 58.8% (10/17) | 44.2% (19/43) | 33% (1/3) | 64.3% (9/14) | 33% (1/3) | 60% (3/5) | 64.3% (9/14) | 42.1% (16/38) |
| Clinton | 40% (8/20) | 47.8% (22/46) | 60% (3/5) | 33.3% (5/15) | 60% (3/5) | 25% (3/12) | 33% (5/15) | 55.9% (19/34) |
Table 4a
Judicial Experience.
| All Judges | Women | Racial Minority | White | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All women | All men | Nonwhite women | White women | Women | Men | Women | Men | |
| Obama | 50% (12/24) | 54.8% (17/31) | 80% (4/5) | 42.1% (8/19) | 80% (4/5) | 64.3% (9/14) | 42.1% (8/19) | 47.1% (8/17) |
| GWB | 58.8% (10/17) | 51.2% (22/43) | 66.7% (2/3) | 57.1% (8/14) | 66.7% (2/3) | 80% (4/5) | 57% (8/14) | 47.4% (18/38) |
| Clinton | 75%** (15/20) | 43.5%** (20/46) | 100% (5/5) | 66.7% (10/15) | 100% (5/5) | 75% (9/12) | 66.7% (10/15) | 32.4% (11/34) |
Table 4b
Prosecutorial Experience.
| All Judges | Women | Racial Minority | White | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All women | All men | Nonwhite women | White women | Women | Men | Women | Men | |
| Obama | 41.7% (10/24) | 45.2% (14/31) | 40% (2/5) | 42.1% (8/19) | 40% (2/5) | 50% (7/14) | 42.1% (8/19) | 41.2% (7/17) |
| GWB | 23.5%* (4/17) | 48.8%* (21/43) | 33.3% (1/3) | 21.4% (3/14) | 33.3% (1/3) | 40% (2/5) | 21.4%* (3/14) | 50%* (19/38) |
| Clinton | 35% (7/20) | 34.8% (16/46) | 80%** (4/5) | 20%** (3/15) | 80%* (4/5) | 33.3%* (4/12) | 20% (3/15) | 35.3% (12/34) |
Table 4c
Judicial and Prosecutorial Experience.
| All Judges | Women | Racial Minority | White | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All women | All men | Nonwhite women | White women | Women | Men | Women | Men | |
| Obama | 29.2% (7/24) | 25.8% (8/31) | 40% (2/5) | 26.3% (5/19) | 40% (2/5) | 35.7% (5/14) | 26.3% (5/19) | 17.7% (3/17) |
| GWB | 11.8% (2/17) | 23.3% (10/43) | 33.3% (1/3) | 7.1% (1/14) | 33.3% (1/3) | 20% (1/5) | 7.1% (1/14) | 23.7% (9/38) |
| Clinton | 35% (7/20) | 17.4% (8/46) | 80%** (4/5) | 20%** (3/15) | 80%* (4/5) | 33.3%* (4/12) | 20% (3/15) | 11.8% (4/34) |
Table 5a
Private Practice Experience.
| All Judges | Women | Racial Minority | White | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All women | All men | Nonwhite women | White women | Women | Men | Women | Men | |
| Obama | 83.3% (20/24) | 87.1% (27/31) | 80% (4/5) | 84.2% (16/19) | 80% (4/5) | 100% (14/14) | 84.2% (16/19) | 76.5% (13/17) |
| GWB | 82.4% (14/17) | 90.7% (39/43) | 66.7% (2/3) | 85.7% (12/14) | 66.7% (2/3) | 80% (4/5) | 85.7% (12/14) | 92.1% (35/38) |
| Clinton | 85% (17/20) | 89.1% (41/46) | 80% (4/5) | 86.7% (13/15) | 80% (4/5) | 91.7% (11/12) | 86.7% (13/15) | 88.2% (30/34) |
Table 5b
Academic Experience.
| All Judges | Women | Racial Minority | White | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All women | All men | Nonwhite women | White women | Women | Men | Women | Men | |
| Obama | 25% (6/24) | 35.5% (11/31) | 20% (1/5) | 26.3% (5/19) | 20% (1/5) | 35.7% (5/14) | 26.3% (5/19) | 35.3% (6/17) |
| GWB | 29.4% (5/17) | 44.2% (19/43) | 66.7% (2/3) | 21.4% (3/14) | 66.7% (2/3) | 20% (1/5) | 21.4% (3/14) | 47.4% (18/38) |
| Clinton | 35% (7/20) | 28.3% (13/46) | 20% (1/5) | 40% (6/15) | 20% (1/5) | 33.3% (4/12) | 40% (6/15) | 26.5% (9/34) |
Figure 2
Index of Obstruction and Delay, 1978–2016 45
Figure 3
Committee and Confirmation Delay for Appeals Court Nominees, by Race and Gender.
Figure 4
Roll Call Votes for Women Nominees to the U.S. Courts of Appeals.
Note: Within-president differences are not statistically significant at p < .05 for any president.
Figure 5
Votes to Confirm Appeals Court Nominees.
Box plots of roll call votes for successful nominees
Note: There were 29 white men, 12 white women, 4 nonwhite men, and 3 nonwhite women appointed by George W. Bush who received a roll call vote. Among successful Obama nominees who received a roll call vote, 15 were white men, 17 white women, 11 nonwhite men, and 5 were nonwhite women.