Following President Biden’s nomination of a diverse federal district and appeals court judges, Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware urge Governor Carney to follow suit with Andre Bouchard’s replacement.

(Black PR Wire) WILMINGTON, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware (CPBD) called for a Black justice to be nominated to the Chancery Court following President Biden’s first round of historic judicial nominations in the federal courts, including the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the influential U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

With outgoing Chancellor Andre Bouchard set to retire on April 30th, there is an unprecedented opportunity to restore diversity on the Chancery Court alongside historic federal court nominations of people of color. For years, CPBD has been calling for diversity in Delaware’s courts, and has been joined by leaders such as Reverend Al Sharpton and Pastor Blaine Hacket of the historic St. John African Methodist Church.

Currently, Black Delawareans account for only 15% of the judiciary but 60% of the state's prison population. Biden’s efforts to reshape the federal judiciary to reflect the populations they serve should be reflected in his home state of Delaware. To start dismantling the systemic inequity that exists in Delaware’s courts, Governor Carney needs to replace Chancellor Bouchard with a Black justice. And those with powerful megaphones, such as Chancellor Bouchard, ought to do the same by calling for his replacement to be Black.

“President Biden’s promise to affirm vacancies with qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds is historic and long-overdue. We are asking Governor Carney to give Delaware the chance to be a part of that history,” said Chris Coffey, Campaign Manager for Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware. “Diversity on Delaware’s highest courts, starting with outgoing Chancellor Bouchard’s replacement, will lead to a more humane and trustworthy judiciary. Change is possible and it lies in the hands of Governor Carney and Chancellor Bouchard.”

Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware is a group made up of more than 5,000 members including employees of the global translation services company TransPerfect, as well as concerned Delaware residents, business executives, and others. They formed in April of 2016 to focus on raising awareness with Delaware residents, elected officials, and other stakeholders about the unprecedented forced sale of TransPerfect. While their primary goal of saving the company has been accomplished, they continue their efforts to fight for more transparency in the Delaware Chancery Court. For more information on Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware or to join the cause, visit DelawareForBusiness.org.

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