Texas attorney for family values sworn into US Supreme Court Bar

A Texas family values advocacy organization has increased its influence after its president, Jonathan Saenz, was sworn in as a member of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar last month — an selective honor that allows him to lead cases that his organization brings before the court, witness key hearings, and provide insights on court affairs to the media.

According to a Jan. 9 news release from Texas Values, Saenz became an official member of the bar Dec. 3. Already a licensed attorney in the state of Texas with more than two decades of experience, according to his Texas Values profile, Saenz’s admission to the bar opens up the opportunity for Texas Values to file its own cases in support of freedom and family values before the Supreme Court with Saenz as lead counsel.

The release also states that Saenz is now able to be present during “major constitutional cases” the Supreme Court hears and makes him one of “the select few lawyers to have firsthand exclusive insight and analysis to provide to the media, social media and supporters.”

Saenz has already witnessed oral arguments for a key religious freedom case, Olivier v. City of Brandon, Mississippi. The case involves a street evangelist who is challenging the city’s ordinance that requires demonstrators to stay within a designated protest area, according to SCOTUSblog. Other upcoming Supreme Court hearings Saenz will witness include cases from Idaho and West Virginia that urge the court to protect girls’ sports from “transgender” participation. Both are scheduled for Jan. 13. 

Saenz was nominated for admission to the bar by Kelly Shackelford, president and chief counsel of nonprofit legal organization First Liberty Institute. In the release, Saenz expressed his gratitude for the nomination and said he considers it “an honor to be held in such a high regard.”

He added, “This will be a great asset to providing insights and analysis to the media and supporters alike.”