Major Watchdog Org Endorses Sherrill’s Judge Shopping Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) endorsed Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill’s End Judge Shopping Act – which would stop anti-choice advocates from using “judge shopping” loopholes to obtain verdicts that impact the entire nation. Judge shopping is a tactic that anti-abortion extremists have used to hand pick a court and outcome by filing lawsuits in single-judge divisions where they are all but assured to get a favorable outcome.

“Anti-abortion extremists nationwide have turned to the courts in their crusade to restrict women’s bodily autonomy – whether that’s targeting contraceptives or the right to an abortion. As a former federal prosecutor, I believe that our courts should center around justice, fairness, and service – that’s why I introduced legislation to end the harmful practice of “judge shopping” to ensure that extremists cannot cherry pick judges who will rule in their favor, said Rep. Sherrill. “Loopholes like judge shopping erode public trust in our judiciary and endanger women’s rights nationwide. I am proud to earn CREW’s endorsement and will continue to fight to pass this critical legislation through Congress.”

“Judge shopping erodes public trust by leading to perceptions of bias and unequal treatment under the law, rather than ensuring impartiality and fairness,” said Debra Perlin, Policy Director at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. “CREW applauds Representative Sherrill for introducing the End Judge Shopping Act of 2023, which would prevent cases of national consequence from being filed in a single-judge district. An independent and ethical judiciary is fundamental to our democracy, and allowing litigants to game the system by picking and choosing their judges undermines this goal. By introducing this legislation a year ago, Congresswoman Sherrill perceived the dangers of this phenomenon long before the Judicial Conference took notice. CREW encourages Congress to pass this bill immediately to end this manipulation of the legal process.”

Rep. Sherrill introduced the End Judge Shopping Act last year in direct response to the April 2023 Alliance forHippocratic Medicine v. FDA decision. Anti-abortion advocates cherry-picked Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk to hear their case to overturn the FDA’s decades old approval of Mifepristone, a safe and commonly-used form of medication abortion. Extremists were able to use “judge shopping” to pick a division and a judge they knew would rule in their favor. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) introduced similar legislation in April 2024.

After introducing the bill, Sherrill gathered leaders from Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and Agile Therapeutics for a panel discussion on the threat to abortion access in New Jersey. Watch a recording of the panel here.

Additionally, Sherrill is working to restore public trust in the federal judiciary. She has repeatedly called on Chief Justice John Roberts to establish an ethics counsel and independent investigative body within the Supreme Court, especially following reports that Justice Clarence Thomas accepted luxury vacations and gifts from GOP billionaire and mega-donor Harlan Crow.

Congresswoman Sherrill prosecuted federal cases and advised law enforcement on investigations as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of New Jersey. She also served as an Outreach and Re-Entry Coordinator who created programs to develop trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

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