Pascrell Praises Landmark Judicial Picks

Biden dedication to diversity on bench will remake U.S. courts

PATERSON, NJ – U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today praised President Joe Biden’s announcement that he would nominate 11 new federal judges, including Julien X. Neals and Zahid N. Quraishi for vacant seats on the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. Neals currently serves as Bergen County Counsel and acting County Administrator.

“For generations, justice in America has been hobbled by the lack of diversity in our judiciary,” said Rep. Pascrell. “This is not just diversity of race and ethnicity, and but diversity of experience and perspective. A bench dominated solely by jurists from the same law schools, the same law firms, and the same prosecutors’ offices has produced an unequal system in America. President Biden promised to upset for the better the balance of our federal courts and his first slate of nominees follows through on that promise. We cannot understate it: this revolutionary commitment to re-balance the judiciary will help remake justice in America. I am especially proud of the historic nominees for the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, including Bergen County’s own Julien Neals and Zahid Quraishi who would serve as the first Muslim American on a federal district court.”

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