In a historic vote, the US Senate last night confirmed Vermont Supreme Court Justice Beth Robinson to sit on the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which hears cases from Vermont, Connecticut and New York. The Senate vote was 51-45.
When Justice Robinson takes the bench, she will be the first openly LGBTQ women to serve on a US federal appellate court. President Biden nominated Robinson for the job in August and the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the nomination last month.
Reports VTDigger:
Robinson’s confirmation makes history. She will be the first openly LGBTQ+ woman to serve on a federal appellate court. She is well-known for her advocacy to legalize same-sex marriage in Vermont years before it was legal nationwide — a legacy that her supporters tout as evidence of her commitment to equal rights, but her detractors have used to question her capability as an impartial judge.
In a Monday night statement following the Senate vote, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., called Robinson’s confirmation “momentous.”
“More than qualified, Justice Robinson has built a distinguished career based on impartiality and fair application of the law,” he said. “She treats people with respect and compassion, and understands the duty of the court to provide equitable justice.”
Vermont’s Democratic Lt. Gov. Molly Gray in a Monday night statement celebrated Robinson’s confirmation as “a historic step in building a judicial system that represents all of us.”
“For me, and so many Vermonters and Vermont women in the legal profession, Justice Robinson’s pioneering work has been inspiring,” Gray said. “She has been a champion for civil rights and marriage equality and will serve our country, and justice system, well.”
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