Alliance for Justice (AFJ) is a progressive judicial advocacy group in the United States. Founded in 1979 by current president Nan Aron, AFJ monitors federal judicial appointments. AFJ represents a coalition of 100 politically liberal groups that have an interest in the federal judiciary.
According to the organization, "AFJ works to ensure that the federal judiciary advances core constitutional values, preserves human rights and unfettered access to the courts, and adheres to the even-handed administration of justice for all Americans."
AFJ launched the Judicial Selection Project in 1985 to monitor the federal judicial appointment system. According to AFJ's founder, Nan Aron, the organization wanted to guard against the ideological impact of Ronald Reagan's federal judicial nominees. AFJ objects to judicial nominees who oppose abortion or who promise to exercise judicial restraint. The organization provides background on prospective nominees to the American Bar Association and the Senate Judiciary Committee.
AFJ played a role in the defeat of Ronald Reagan nominee Robert Bork's nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States in 1987. In 2001, the organization supported the nomination of Roger Gregory, a Bill Clinton nominee and the first African-American judge in the Fourth Circuit in 2001. In 2013, AFJ supported President Barack Obama's three nominees for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
AFJ reports a membership of over 100 organizations. On its website, AFJ lists the following member groups:
Justice Policy InstituteAIDS UnitedNational LGBTQ Task ForceAARPAbortion Care NetworkAdvocates for YouthArkansas Center for Health ImprovementAsian American Legal Defense and Education FundBazelon Center for Mental Health LawBusiness and Professional People for the Public InterestBusiness and Professional Women FoundationCampion FoundationCenter for Children’s Law and PolicyCenter for Constitutional RightsCenter for Digital DemocracyCenter for InquiryCenter for Law and Social PolicyCenter for Partnership StudiesCenter for Reproductive RightsCenter for Science in the Public InterestChildren’s Defense FundCompassion & ChoicesComprehensive Health Education FoundationConservation CampaignConsumer ActionConsumers UnionCulture ProjectDallas Women’s FoundationDefending Dissent FoundationDisability Rights Education and Defense FundDrug Policy AllianceEarth Day NetworkEarthjusticeEarthRights InternationalEducation Law CenterEnergy FoundationEqual Justice SocietyEqual Rights AdvocatesFood Research & Action CenterFoodbank of the AlbermarleGreen for AllHarmon, Curran, Spielberg & Eisenberg, LLPHuman Rights Campaign FoundationInstitute for Public RepresentationJewish Social Justice RoundtableJobs with JusticeJuvenile Law CenterLambda LegalLawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under LawLeague of Conservation Voters Education FundLegal Aid SocietyLegal Aid Society-Employment Law CenterLegal MomentumMaine Women’s LobbyMental Health AmericaMethodist Healthcare MinistriesMexican American Legal Defense and Educational FundNational Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) Pro-Choice AmericaNational Abortion FederationNational Association of Consumer AdvocatesNational Association of Criminal Defense LawyersNational Center for Law and Economic JusticeNational Center for Lesbian RightsNational Center for Youth LawNational Center on Poverty LawNational Committee for Responsive PhilanthropyNational Consumer Voice for Long-Term Quality CareNational Council for Research on WomenNational Council of Jewish WomenNational Education AssociationNational Employment Lawyers AssociationNational Family Planning and Reproductive Health AssociationNational Immigration ForumNational Immigration Law CenterNational Law Center on Homelessness and PovertyNational Lawyers GuildNational Legal Aid & Defender AssociationNational Low Income Housing CoalitionNational Partnership for Women and FamiliesNational Senior Citizens Law CenterNational Veterans Legal Services ProgramNational Whistleblowers CenterNational Wildlife FederationNational Women’s Law CenterNative American Rights FundNatural Resources Defense CouncilNew York Lawyers for the Public InterestPhysicians for Human RightsPlanned Parenthood Federation of AmericaPolicyLinkProgress MichiganPublic AdvocatesSecular Coalition for AmericaService Employees International UnionSeton Hall Law School Center for Social JusticeSierra Club FoundationStates United to Prevent Gun ViolenceSustainable Agriculture CoalitionTASHThe Advocacy FundThe ArcThe City ProjectThe Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc.The National Parks Conservation AssociationTides CenterTransgender Law CenterUFW FoundationUSActionViolence Policy CenterWilderness SocietyWomen’s Law ProjectWomen's Way
