President Jimmy Carter ‘opened the door’ to a more diverse justice system, Bay Area lawyer says

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Former President Jimmy Carter was never able to be appointed to the nation’s highest court, but his decision to appoint a record number of women and people of color to lower federal judicial posts may have had a greater impact on the judicial system.

The Democratic president, who died Sunday at the age of 100, aimed to diversify the federal justice system – a goal evident from remarks he made at his 1977 inauguration.

“And I share the hope that at the end of my term as president, people will say this about our nation… that we have broken down the barriers that separated those of different races, regions and religions and where distrust reigned. built unity with respect for diversity,” Carter said during his inaugural speech.

A historic momentum in favor of diversity in the courts.

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Joseph Cotchett, a longtime Bay Area lawyer, said Carter’s efforts to bring representation to a system historically dominated by white men are arguably one of his biggest impacts as president.

“It was unheard of,” Cotchett said. “No administration in our history, until Clinton, has had such a significant impact on the composition of the courts.”

Carter appointed 41 women and 57 people of color to the federal bench, including prominent figures like Judith Key in Los Angeles and Marilyn Patel in San Francisco. But Cotchett said one of the most significant firsts was Thelton Henderson, who became the first African American to be appointed to the U.S. District Court in Northern California.

The late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg often praised Carter’s efforts, when he first appointed her to the U.S. Court of Appeals, which helped position her for a subsequent appointment to the High Court.

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While Carter is credited with pushing for these various appointments, Cotchett emphasizes the essential role played by Vice President Walter Mondale.

“Carter had the heart, and Mondale had the intelligence to pick the right people,” Cotchett said, highlighting the vice president’s legal skills as a former Minnesota attorney general.

“Alan Cranston asked me here in California if I wanted to be on his committee to help with nominations. Well, I got involved with the Walter Mondale committee, and it was phenomenal,” he said.

Overall, Carter’s appointments to the federal bench reshaped the landscape of American law. Her commitment to diversity laid the foundation for future generations, providing opportunities for women and people of color in what was once an extremely homogeneous institution.

“They laid the foundation,” Cotchett said. “It opened the doors wide open.”