Women Advocates See Bump for High Court February Arguments

Female advocates are arguing more cases at the U.S. Supreme Court in February than usual, but they are still outnumbered 2-1 by men.

The court’s February sitting is light, with the justices hearing only six cases. Last month they heard 11.

But female advocates will make one third of the appearances this time around, a number that’s drastically higher than usual. The percentage of female advocates arguing each term has ranged from 12 percent to 21 percent since 2011, according to SCOTUSblog.

Two of those appearances will come in the same arguments, as Assistant Federal Public Defender Vanessa F. Malone will face off against Jenny Ellickson, of the Office of the Solicitor General, on Feb. 26 in Mont v. United States. It will be both women’s first Supreme Court argument.