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Federal Courts, Empty Benches: The Wednesday Vacancy Count 5/8/2013
May 8, 2013
- For a District by District break down, see: Federal Court Vacancy Warning System
The vacancy warning level for the U.S. Federal courts is currently set at Blue. There were two new vacancies this past week, leaving the final tally at 84 vacancies or approximately 9.7 percent 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 percent or no vacancies |
| Appeals Courts | 8.9 percent or 16 vacancies |
| District Courts | 10 percent or 68 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 two shared post between the two Missouri districts and the two Kentucky districts, which count 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
There were no new confirmations this past week.
New vacancies
Eastern District of Pennsylvania
On May 1, 2013, Judge Curtis Joyner assumed senior status for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where he had served for over 20 years.[1] Joyner was originally nominated by George H.W. Bush and joined the court on April 13, 1992. From 2011 until his transition to senior status he served as Chief Judge. At the time of his nomination, he was a Common Pleas Judge for the Chester County Court of Common Pleas, Pennsylvania. Born in Newberry, South Carolina, Joyner graduated from Central State University of Ohio with his bachelor's degree in 1971 and later graduated from the Howard University School of Law in 1974. Joyner completed coursework at the National Judicial College at the University of Nevada at Reno.[2] His transition to senior status creates the seventh vacancy on the court of twenty-two, leaving the vacancy warning level unchanged at Orange.
District of Maryland
On May 8, 2013, Judge Alexander Williams assumed senior status for the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, where he had served for 19 years.[3] Williams was originally nominated by Bill Clinton and joined the court on August 18, 1994. At the time of his nomination, Williams served as the Maryland State Attorney for Prince George's County, Maryland. Born in Washington, D.C., Williams graduated from Howard University with his bachelor's degree in 1970 and from Howard University School of Law with his J.D. degree in 1973.[2] His transition to senior status creates the first vacancy on the court of ten, raising the vacancy warning level from Green to Blue.
New nominations
On May 6, 2013, President Barack Obama nominated three to serve as judges for United States District Courts in the state of Illinois. President Obama commented on the nominations, stating:
| “ | I am honored to put forward these highly qualified candidates for the federal bench. They will be distinguished public servants and valuable additions to the United States District Court.[4][5] | ” |
Central District of Illinois
President Obama nominated Colin Stirling Bruce to the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois to fill the vacancy left by Michael McCuskey.[6] Bruce is currently the First Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of Illinois. He attended University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, graduating with a B.A. in 1986. He went on to attend University of Illinois College of Law , earning his J.D. in 1989.[4] If confirmed, the nomination would fill the only vacancy on the court of four.
Northern District of Illinois
President Obama nominated Sara Lee Ellis to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois to fill the vacancy left by Joan B. Gottschall.[6] Ellis is currently counsel at the law firm of Schiff Hardin LLP in Chicago. She earned her B.A. from Indiana University in 1991. She went on to attend Loyola University Chicago School of Law, earning her J.D. 1994.[4]
President Obama nominated Andrea R. Wood to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois to fill the vacancy left by William J. Hibbler.[6] Wood is currently a Senior Trial Counsel in the Division of Enforcement of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. She attended the University of Chicago, earning her B.A. in 1995. She went on to attend Yale Law School, earning her J.D. 1998.[4]
If confirmed, the nominations would fill the two vacancies on the court of twenty-two.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ U.S. Courts Current Vacancies
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Judge J. Curtis Joyner Federal Judicial Center Biography Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "FJC Bio" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ U.S. Courts Current Vacancies
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "President Obama Announces Intent to Nominate Three to Serve on the United States District Court" 4/30/2013
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate" 5/6/2013
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