Federal Courts, Empty Benches: The Wednesday Vacancy Count 12/19/2012
December 19, 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 four new confirmation this past week and 2 new vacancies. That leaves the final tally at 73 vacancies or approximately 8.4% 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 | 8.5% or 58 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
Southern District of New York
On December 13, 2012 the United States Senate confirmed Lorna Schofield to an Article III post for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York with a vote of 91-0.[1][2] Schofield was originally appointed on April 25, 2012, by Barack Obama to the seat vacated by Shira Scheindlin. At the time of appointment, Schofield was a partner in the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton LLP in New York City. She was rated Unanimously Well Qualified by the American Bar Association. She had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 6, 2012 and you can find her Committee Questionnaire available here and her Questions for the Record available here (dead link).[3] The confirmation fills the one of six vacancies on the court of twenty-eight, leaving the vacancy warning level unchanged at Yellow.
Western District of New York
On December 13, 2012 the United States Senate confirmed Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to an Article III post for the United States District Court for the Western District of New York with a voice vote.[1][4] Geraci was originally appointed on May 14, 2012, by Barack Obama to the seat vacated by David Larimer. At the time of appointment, Geraci was a judge for the Monroe County Court and an acting justice for the Monroe County Supreme Court in New York. 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 27, 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 only vacancy on the court of four, lowering the vacancy warning level from Yellow to Green.
Central District of California
On December 17, 2012 the United States Senate confirmed Fernando Olguin to an Article III post for the United States District Court for the Central District of California with a voice vote.[1][5] Olguin was originally appointed on May 14, 2012, by Barack Obama to the seat vacated by Jacqueline Nguyen. At the time of appointment, Olguin was a federal magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Central District of California. He was appointed to this position on July 23, 2001. He was rated Substantial Majority Qualified; Minority Not Qualified by the American Bar Association. He had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 27, 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 two vacancies on the court of twenty-eight, leaving the vacancy warning level unchanged at Blue.
Northern District of Illinois
On December 17, 2012 the United States Senate confirmed Thomas M. Durkin to an Article III post for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois with a voice vote.[1][6] Durkin was originally appointed on May 21, 2012, by Barack Obama to the seat vacated by Wayne Andersen. At the time of appointment, Durkin was a partner at the law firm of Mayer Brown LLP. He was rated Unanimously Well Qualified by the American Bar Association. He had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 11, 2012 and you can find his Committee Questionnaire available here (dead link) and his Questions for the Record available here.[3] The confirmation fills one of four vacancies on the court of twenty-two, leaving the vacancy warning level unchanged at Yellow.
New vacancies
District of Nevada
On December 13, 2012 Larry Hicks assumed senior status for the United States District Court for the District of Nevada after serving on the court for 11 years.[7] Hicks first joined the court on November 7, 2001 after an appointment from George W. Bush. At the time of his appointment he was a private practice attorney. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Hicks graduated from the University of Nevada with his bachelor's degree in 1965 and later graduated from the University of Colorado with his Juris Doctor degree in 1968.[8] The transition to senior status creates the third vacancy on the court of seven, raising the vacancy warning level from Orange to Red.
Western District of New York
On December 15, 2012 Charles Siragusa assumed senior status for the United States District Court for the Western District of New York after serving on the court for 15 years.[9] Siragusa first joined the court on November 5, 1997 after an appointment from Bill Clinton. Prior to his federal judicial appointment, Judge Siragusa served as a State Supreme Court Justice for the Seventh Judicial District of New York between 1993 and 1997. Siragusa graduated from LeMoyne College with his bachelor's degree in 1969 and later graduated from Albany Law School with his J.D. Degree in 1976.[8] The transition to senior status creates a new vacancy on the court of four, raising the vacancy warning level from Green back to Yellow.
New nominations
There were no new nominations made this past week.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Report on the Activities of the Senate Judiciary Committee, 112th Congress
- ↑ United States Periodic Press Gallery
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 112th Congress Nomination Materials
- ↑ United States Periodic Press Gallery
- ↑ United States Periodic Press Gallery
- ↑ United States Periodic Press Gallery
- ↑ U.S. Courts Current Vacancies
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Judge Larry Hicks's Biography at the Federal Judicial Center Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "Bio" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ U.S. Courts Current Vacancies
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