Federal Courts, Empty Benches: The Wednesday Vacancy Count 6/26/2013
June 26, 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 was one new vacancy this past week, leaving the final tally at 77 vacancies or approximately 8.9% 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 | 9.6% or 17 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 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.
 |
New confirmations
There were no new confirmations this past week.
New vacancies
Third Circuit
On June 21, 2013, Judge Dolores Sloviter assumed senior status for the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, where she had served for 24 years.[1] Sloviter was originally nominated by Jimmy Carter and joined the court on June 21, 1979. From 1991 until 1998 she served as Chief Judge. At the time of her nomination, she was a Professor of Law at Temple University School of Law. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Sloviter graduated from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with her bachelor's degree in 1953 and later from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with her Juris Doctor J.D. degree in 1956.[2] Her transition to senior status creates the first vacancy on the court of fourteen, lowering the vacancy warning level from Green to Blue.
New nominations
On June 20, 2013, President Barack Obama nominated three judges to the United States District Courts. Obama commented on the nominations, stating:
| “ | I am pleased to nominate these distinguished individuals to serve on the United States District Court bench. I am confident they will serve the American people with integrity and a steadfast commitment to justice.[3][4] | ” |
Northern District of California
President Obama nominated James Donato to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California to fill the vacancy left by James Ware.[5] Donato is currently a litigation partner in the San Francisco office of Shearman & Sterling LLP. He earned his B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley, graduating in 1983. He went on to earn his A.M. from Harvard University in 1984 and his J.D. from Stanford Law School in 1988.[3]
President Obama nominated Beth Labson Freeman to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California to a temporary post created by 28 U.S.C. 133(b)(1).[5] Freeman is currently a Judge on the Superior Court of San Mateo County, California. She earned her B.A. from University of California at Berkeley in 1976 and went on to earn her J.D. three years later at Harvard Law School.[3]
Eastern District of North Carolina
President Obama nominated Jennifer May-Parker to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina to fill the vacancy left by Malcolm Howard.[5] May-Parker is currently the Chief of the Appellate Division at the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of North Carolina. She earned her B.A. from State University of New York at Geneseo in 1988. She went on to earn her J.D. in 1991 from State University of New York at Buffalo Law School.[3]
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ U.S. Courts Current Vacancies
- ↑ Judge Sloviter's Biography at the Federal Judicial Center
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "President Obama Announces Intent to Nominate Three to Serve on the United States District Court" 6/20/2013
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate" 6/20/2013
| |||||
