The League of Women Voters national Board has announced the adoption of a new League position on the Federal Judiciary. This is a critical time for the federal judiciary, and this position will enable the League to act on legislative and executive efforts towards its reformation. 

The Federal Judiciary position was adopted using the long-standing League practice of grassroots study to arrive at member understanding and agreement. You may remember reading in the May 2025 Intercom– "Federal Judiciary Study: Enabling LWV Advocacy"– that a task force of LWVE members joined members from the Wilmette and Glenview/Glencoe Leagues to participate in the national study. Based on the work of that task force, a LWVE consensus meeting was held in early April during which members of our League responded to 12 consensus questions provided by the LWVUS. The results were submitted to the national League to support adoption of a new position at the LWVUS convention in June 2025.  321 Leagues representing 45 states and the District of Columbia participated in the study. 
 
The Federal Judiciary position states that, within the bounds of the US Constitution, the overarching principles of transparency, accountability, independence, and ethics are essential to an effective federal judiciary. It notes that these principles are not only essential for a strong democracy but also foster public trust in the federal judiciary and adherence to the rule of law, which is the essence of our constitutional democracy. This position also covers standards of conduct, criteria around disclosure, and respect for precedent. 

Read the full position.

The consensus process is one of the important ways that the LWVUS and local Leagues interact. We are grateful to Kathy Tate-Bradish for leading the consensus meeting and to Mary Kelly for recording and compiling the consensus.  The other members of the task force were Michelle Jordan, Elizabeth Kinney, Jennifer O’Neil, and Lois Taft.