Federal Courts, Empty Benches: The Wednesday Vacancy Count 12/26/2012
December 26, 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 three new confirmations this past week. That leaves the final tally at 70 vacancies or approximately 8.1% 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 | 8.1% or 55 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
Middle District of Pennsylvania
On December 21, 2012, the United States Senate confirmed Matthew Brann to an Article III post for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania with a voice vote.[1][2] Brann was originally appointed on May 17, 2012, by Barack Obama to the seat vacated by Thomas Vanaskie. At the time of appointment, Brann was a partner at the firm Brann, Williams, Caldwell & Sheetz. He was rated Unanimously 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 her Questions for the Record available here.[3] The confirmation fills the one of two vacancies on the court of six, lowering the vacancy warning level from Orange to Yellow.
On December 21, 2012, the United States Senate confirmed Malachy Mannion to an Article III post for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania with a voice vote.[1][4] Mannion was originally appointed on May 17, 2012, by Barack Obama to the seat vacated by A. Richard Caputo. At the time of appointment, Mannion was a federal magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. He had served in this position since January 4, 2001. He currently serves as Chief Magistrate Judge.[5] He was rated Unanimously Well 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 her Questions for the Record available here.[3] The confirmation fills the only vacancy on the court of six, lowering the vacancy warning level from Yellow to Green.
Northern District of California
On December 21, 2012, the United States Senate confirmed Jon S. Tigar to an Article III post for the United States District Court for the Northern District of California with a voice vote.[1][6] Tigar was originally appointed on June 12, 2012, by Barack Obama to the seat vacated by Saundra Armstrong. At the time of appointment, Tigar was a judge for the Superior Court of Alameda County in California. He won re-election unopposed in 2010.[7] He was rated Unanimously Well Qualified by the American Bar Association. He had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 1, 2012, and you can find his Committee Questionnaire available here and her Questions for the Record available here (dead link).[3] The confirmation fills the one of four vacancies on the court of fifteen, lowering the vacancy warning level from Orange to Yellow.
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 Report on the Activities of the Senate Judiciary Committee, 112th Congress
- ↑ United States Periodic Press Gallery
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Senate Judiciary Committee, "112th Congress Nomination Materials," accessed April 24, 2014
- ↑ United States Periodic Press Gallery
- ↑ Biography of Judge Mannion (dead link)
- ↑ United States Periodic Press Gallery
- ↑ California Courts, "Trial Court Roster," accessed November 1, 2016
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