Federal Courts, Empty Benches: The Wednesday Vacancy Count 3/19/2014

Key: (Numbers indicate % of seats vacant.) 0% 0%-10% 10%-25% 25%-40% More than 40%

March 19, 2014

By Courtney Collins

This week's Federal Courts, Empty Benches: The Wednesday Vacancy Count includes nominations, confirmations and vacancies from March 12, 2014 to March 18, 2014. Nominations, confirmations and vacancies occurring on March 19th will be reflected in the March 26th report.

The vacancy warning level fell to blue this week after two new vacancies and five new confirmations. The vacancy percentage fell to 9.9%. There were two new nominations this week, which allowed the total number of nominees waiting for confirmation to fall to 53. The number of vacancies of Article III judges fell to 86 out of 865. A breakdown of the vacancies on each level can be found in the table below. For a more detailed look at the vacancies on the federal courts, see our Federal Court Vacancy Warning System.

Vacancies by court

Court	# of Seats	Vacancies
Supreme Court	9	0 percent or no vacancies
Appeals Courts	179	9.0 percent or 16 vacancies
District Courts	677	10.3 percent or 70 vacancies
All Judges	865	9.9 percent or 86 vacancies

New confirmations

Tenth Circuit

Carolyn McHugh

On March 12, 2014, Carolyn McHugh was confirmed to the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit by the U.S. Senate on a vote of 98-0. McHugh's confirmation came 300 days after her nomination. She leaves a position on the Utah Court of Appeals to join the federal court. Senator Orin Hatch spoke of McHugh prior to her confirmation: “ Judge McHugh received praise for many things, but perhaps the most common description was simply that she works harder than anyone else. Her former law partners said it, judges said it. Over and over the same thing came up – she works incredibly hard. ” McHugh is the first woman from Utah to sit on the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. McHugh fills a vacancy that was created when Michael R. Murphy (Tenth Circuit) took senior status. The confirmation removed one of the two vacancies on the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit. The vacancy warning level fell from yellow to blue.

Eastern District of Michigan

Linda V. Parker

On March 12, 2014, Linda V. Parker was confirmed to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan by the U.S. Senate on a vote of 60-37. Parker leaves the 3rd Circuit Court of Michigan. She waited 230 days for confirmation. Parker was the only nominee for the Eastern District of Michigan that didn't receive a unanimous vote by the Senate. Parker's confirmation fills a vacancy created when Robert Cleland took senior status. Her confirmation, along with three others on March 12th, removed all the vacancies on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. The vacancy warning level fell from orange to green.

Laurie Michelson

Laurie Michelson was among those confirmed to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on March 12, 2014. The U.S. Senate confirmed Michelson on a vote of 97-0. Michelson will stay with the Eastern District of Michigan as she leaves a federal magistrate judge position to become an Article III judge. She waited 230 days from nomination to confirmation. Michelson fills a vacancy created by George Steeh when he took senior status. Michelson's confirmation, along with three others, removed all of the vacancies on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. The vacancy warning level fell from orange to green.

Judith Ellen Levy

Judith Ellen Levy was confirmed on March 12, 2014 by the U.S. Senate on a vote of 97-0. Levy was an Assistant District Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan prior to joining the federal judiciary. She waited 230 days from nomination to confirmation. Levy fills a vacancy created when Nancy Edmunds took senior status. Levy's confirmation, along with three others, leaves no vacancies on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. The vacancy warning level fell from orange to green.

Matthew Frederick Leitman

On March 12, 2014, Matthew Frederick Leitman was confirmed by the U.S. Senate by a vote of 98-0. Leitman leaves the firm of Miller Canfield P.L.C. to join the federal judiciary. Leitman waited 230 days for confirmation. Leitman filled a vacancy created by Marianne Battani when she took senior status. Leitman's confirmation, along with three others, filled all of the vacancies on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. The vacancy warning level fell from orange to green.

New vacancies

Central District of California

Gary Feess

Gary Feess assumed senior status on March 13, 2014 after 14 years. Feess was nominated by President Bill Clinton and confirmed in 1999. Prior to joining the federal court, Feess was a judge on the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, California from 1996 to 1999. Feess' transition to senior status creates the only vacancy on the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The vacancy warning level rose from green to blue.

Southern District of Illinois

John Gilbert

On March 15, 2014, John Gilbert assumed senior status. Gilbert joined the court in 1992 after a nomination by President George H.W. Bush. Prior to becoming a federal judge, Gilbert was a judge for the Illinois First Judicial Circuit Court. Staci Michelle Yandle is nominated to fill the vacancy. Gilbert's transition creates the second vacancy on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. The vacancy warning level rose from yellow to red.

New nominations

Middle District of Georgia

Leslie Joyce Abrams

On March 11, 2014, President Barack Obama nominated Leslie Joyce Abrams to fill a future vacancy on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. Abrams is currently an Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, where she has served since 2010. Abrams earned her B.A. from Brown University in 1997 and her J.D. from the Yale University School of Law. President Obama on Abrams' nomination: “ Leslie Joyce Abrams has had a distinguished legal career and I am honored to ask her to continue her public service on the federal bench. She will serve the American people with integrity and an unwavering commitment to justice. ” Leslie Joyce Abrams was nominated to fill the future vacancy that will be created when Willie Sands assumes senior status on April 12, 2014. The United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia currently has no vacancies. The vacancy warning level is set at green.

Middle District of Louisiana

John W. deGravelles

On March 13, 2014, John W. deGravelles was nominated by President Barack Obama to fill a vacancy on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana. DeGravelles is currently a partner at the law firm of Palmintier, Holthaus & Frugé LLP. He earned both his B.A. and J.D. from Louisiana State University in 1971 and 1974. On the nomination: “ “I am honored to put forward John W. deGravelles for the federal bench. He will be a distinguished public servant and a valuable addition to the United States District Court. ” —President Barack Obama, DeGravelles was nominated to fill a vacancy created by James J. Brady who took senior status on December 31, 2013. The United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana currently has one vacancy. The vacancy warning level is set at orange.

Weekly map

The weekly map is updated every week and posted here and on the vacancy warning level analysis page.

See also

• United States federal courts

Footnotes