Federal Courts, Empty Benches: The Wednesday Vacancy Count 12/12/2012
December 12, 2012
- For a District by District break down, see: Federal Court Vacancy Warning System
The current vacancy warning level for the U.S. District courts is set at Blue. There were five new confirmations this past week. That leaves the final tally at 75 vacancies or approximately 8.6% of the total Article III posts currently unfilled. The vacancy information for the various court levels is as follows:
| Key: | |
| (Percentage of seats vacant.) | |
| 0% | 1%-9% |
| 10%-24% | 25%-40% |
| More than 40% | |
| Supreme Court | 0% or no vacancies |
| Appeals Courts | 8.4% or 15 vacancies |
| District Courts | 8.8% or 60 vacancies |
There are currently 9 Supreme Court posts, 179 appellate court posts and 680 district court posts for a total of 868 Article III judges. This count includes four temporary posts, one each in the Northern District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Southern District of Florida and the Central District of California. This also includes a shared post between the two Missouri districts and counts it as two posts with separate vacancies.
Weekly map
The new weekly map feature will be updated every week and posted here and on the vacancy warning level analysis page.
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New confirmations
District of Connecticut
On December 5, 2012, the United States Senate confirmed Michael Shea to an Article III post for the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut with a vote of 72-23.[1][2] Shea was originally appointed on February 3, 2012, by Barack Obama to the seat vacated by Christopher Droney. At the time of appointment, Shea was partner in the law firm Day Pitney LLP in Hartford,CT. He was rated Unanimously Qualified by the American Bar Association. He had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 28, 2012 and you can find his Committee Questionnaire available here and his Questions for the Record available here.[3] The confirmation fills one of two vacancies on the court of eight, leaving the vacancy warning level unchanged at Yellow.
Northern District of Florida
On December 6, 2012, the United States Senate confirmed Mark E. Walker to an Article III post for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida with a vote of 94-0.[1][4] Walker was originally appointed on February 16, 2012, by Barack Obama to the seat vacated by Stephan Mickle. At the time of appointment, Walker was a judge for the Second Circuit Court of Florida. He was elected to this position in 2008. He was rated Unanimously Well Qualified by the American Bar Association. He had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 9, 2012 and you can find his Committee Questionnaire available here and his Questions for the Record available here.[3] The confirmation fills the only vacancy on the court of four, lowering the vacancy warning level from Yellow to Green.
Eastern District of Michigan
On December 6, 2012, the United States Senate confirmed Terrence Berg to an Article III post for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan with a voice vote.[1][5] Berg was originally appointed on April 25, 2012, by Barack Obama to the seat vacated by Arthur Tarnow. At the time of appointment, Berg was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Michigan. He was rated Substantial Majority Well Qualified; Minority Qualified by the American Bar Association. He had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 6, 2012 and you can find his Committee Questionnaire available here and his Questions for the Record available here (dead link).[3] The confirmation fills one of three vacancies on the court of fifteen, leaving the vacancy warning level unchanged at Yellow.
Northern District of Oklahoma
On December 11, 2012, the United States Senate confirmed John Dowdell to an Article III post for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma with a vote of 95-0.[1][6] Dowdell was originally appointed on February 29, 2012, by Barack Obama to the seat vacated by Terence Kern. At the time of appointment, Dowdell was a partner in the firm Norman Wohlgemuth Chandler & Dowdell, P.C., which is based in Tulsa, OK. He was rated Substantial Majority Well Qualified, Minority Qualified by the American Bar Association. He had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 9, 2012 and you can find his Committee Questionnaire available here and his Questions for the Record available here.[3] The confirmation fills the only vacancy on the court of four, lowering the vacancy warning level from Yellow to Green.
Central District of California
On December 11, 2012, the United States Senate confirmed Jesus Bernal to an Article III post for the United States District Court for the Central District of California with a voice vote.[1][7] Bernal was originally appointed on April 25, 2012, by Barack Obama to the seat vacated by Stephen Larson. At the time of appointment, Bernal was the Deputy Federal Public Defender in the Central District of California. He was rated Majority Qualified; Minority Not Qualified by the American Bar Association. He had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 6, 2012 and you can find his Committee Questionnaire available here and his Questions for the Record available here (dead link).[3] The confirmation fills the one of three vacancies on the court of twenty-eight, lowering the vacancy warning level from Yellow to Blue.
New vacancies
There were no new vacancies this past week.
New nominations
There were no new nominations this past week.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Report on the Activities of the Senate Judiciary Committee, 112th Congress
- ↑ United States Periodic Press Gallery
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 112th Congress Nomination Materials
- ↑ United States Periodic Press Gallery
- ↑ United States Periodic Press Gallery
- ↑ United States Periodic Press Gallery
- ↑ United States Periodic Press Gallery
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