Michigan Solicitor General becomes first Arab American Muslim woman to argue before US Supreme Court

WASHINGTON – Michigan Solicitor General Fadwa A. Hammoud made history on Tuesday by becoming the first Arab American Muslim woman to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The case she was arguing originated in Kalamazoo in 2007 and has now made it all the way to the high court.

“Every single one of the justices actually asked a question. Justice Kavanaugh was on the phone, but every single one of the justices obviously was interested,” Hammoud said.

She said arguing in front of the Supreme Court was the highlight of her career.

“It really is surreal. The attorney general and I both went to Wayne State Law School. We went to an urban law school and we bring all of that that here to the Supreme Court and to the Capitol and to Washington D.C. with us. And this is what’s so wonderful about our experience,” Hammoud said. “I know that my family is here, came to surprise me — my husband, my children, my father, my colleagues are here.”

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Hammoud is a first-generation American, a Fortson High School graduate and is now an inspiration to others.

“My name might be different, my background’s different, our faces our different, but when we go in there we bring out collective communities there with us,” Hammoud said.

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