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Federal Courts, Empty Benches: The Wednesday Vacancy Count 9/26/2012
September 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 two new confirmations and one new vacancy this past week. That leaves the final tally at 74 vacancies or approximately 8.5% 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 | 7.8% or 14 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 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
District of Utah
On September 22, 2012 the United States Senate confirmed Robert Shelby to an Article III post for the United States District Court for the District of Utah with a voice vote.[1][2] Shelby was originally appointed on November 30, 2011, by Barack Obama to the seat vacated by Tena Campbell. At the time of appointment, Shelby was a Shareholder at the firm Snow, Christensen & Martineau. He was rated Unanimously Qualified by the American Bar Association. He had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 28, 2012 and you can find his Committee Questionnaire available here and his Questions for the Record available here.[3] The confirmation fills the only vacancy on the court of 5, lowering the vacancy warning level from Yellow to Green.
Southern District of California
On September 22, 2012 the United States Senate confirmed Gonzalo P. Curiel to an Article III post for the United States District Court for the Southern District of California with a voice vote.[1][4] Curiel was originally appointed on November 10, 2011, by Barack Obama to the seat vacated by Thomas Whelan. At the time of appointment, Curiel was a a judge for the Superior Court of San Diego County in California. He was rated Substantial Majority Well Qualified, Minority Qualified by the American Bar Association. He had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 28, 2012 and you can find his Committee Questionnaire available here and his Questions for the Record available here.[3] The confirmation fills the only vacancy on the court of 13, lowering the vacancy warning level from Blue to Green.
New vacancies
Northern District of Illinois
On September 1, 2012 Joan Humphrey Lefkow assumed senior status for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois after serving on the court for 12 years.[5] She joined the court in 2000 after an appointment from Bill Clinton. Before being nominated to the federal bench in 2000, Lefkow was a U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Illinois. Born in Nemaha County, Kansas, Lefkow graduated from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois with her bachelor's degree in 1965 and later obtained her law degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois in 1971.[6] Lefkow's transition creates the fourth vacancy on the court of twenty-two, leaving the vacancy warning level unchanged at Yellow.
New nominations
September 20, 2012
Obama made two appointments to the district courts on September 20, 2012. He 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."[7]
District of Columbia
On September 20, 2012 President Barack Obama nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia to fill the vacancy left by Henry Kennedy.[8] Jackson currently serves as Vice Chair and Commissioner of the United States Sentencing Commission. She attended Harvard, earning her B.A. magna cum laude in 1992. She went on to earn her J.D. in 1996 from Harvard Law, graduating cum laude.[7] The nomination would fill the only on the court of fifteen. With no other pending appointments, the vacancy warning level of the court is set at Blue.
Southern District of New York
On September 20, 2012 President Barack Obama nominated Nelson S. Roman to the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York to fill the vacancy left by Richard Berman.[8] Roman currently serves as an Associate Justice of the First Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court. He attended Fordham University, earning his B.A. in 1984. He went on to earn his J.D. in 1989 from Brooklyn Law School.[7] The nomination would fill one of six vacancies on the court of twenty-eight. With two other pending appointments, the vacancy warning level of the court is set at Yellow.
September 19, 2012
Obama made three appointments to the district courts and one reappointment to the appellate courts on September 19, 2012. He 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."[9]
District of Nevada
On September 19, 2012 President Barack Obama nominated Jennifer Dorsey to the United States District Court for the District of Nevada to fill the vacancy left by Larry Hicks.[10] Dorsey is currently a partner at the law firm of Kemp, Jones & Coulthard LLP in Las Vegas, Nevada. She attended University of Nevada at Las Vegas, earning her B.A. cum laude in 1994. She went on to earn her J.D. in 1997 from Pepperdine University School of Law .[9] The nomination would fill one of two vacancies on the court of seven. With no other pending appointments, the vacancy warning level of the court is set at Orange.
District of Nevada
On September 19, 2012 President Barack Obama nominated Andrew Gordon to the United States District Court for the District of Nevada to fill the vacancy left by Kent Dawson.[10] Gordon is currently a partner at the law firm of partner with the law firm of McDonald Carano Wilson LLP. He attended Claremont McKenna College, earning his B.A. cum laude in 1984. He went on to earn his J.D. in 1987 from Harvard Law School.[9] The nomination would fill one of two vacancies on the court of seven. With no other pending appointments, the vacancy warning level of the court is set at Orange.
District of Oregon
On September 19, 2012 President Barack Obama nominated Michael McShane to the United States District Court for the District of Oregon to fill the vacancy left by Michael Hogan.[10] McShane is currently a Judge on the Multnomah County Circuit Court. He attended Gonzaga University, earning his B.A. cum laude in 1983. He went on to earn his J.D. in 1988 from Northwestern School of Law at Lewis and Clark College.[9] The nomination would fill the only vacancy on the court of six. With no other pending appointments, the vacancy warning level of the court is set at Yellow.
District of Columbia Circuit
On September 19, 2012 President Barack Obama renominated Caitlin J. Halligan to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to fill the vacancy left by John G. Roberts, Jr..[10] Obama has resubmitted Halligan's nomination 3 times since it was first returned on December 22, 2010. Despite her unanimous rating of "Well Qualified" from the American Bar Association, previous nominations have been filibustered by conservative members of the Senate. Obama commented on Halligan's last nomination, stating, "Caitlin Halligan and Sri Srinivasan are dedicated public servants who will bring their tremendous experience, intellect, and integrity to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. This important court is often called the Nation’s second-highest court, and it stands more than a quarter vacant. I remain deeply disappointed that a minority of the United States Senate blocked Ms. Halligan’s nomination last year and urge her reconsideration, especially given her broad bipartisan support from the legal and law enforcement communities. Mr. Srinivasan will be a trailblazer and, like Ms. Halligan, will serve the court with distinction and excellence."[11] The nomination would fill one of three vacancies on the court of eleven. With one other pending appointment, the vacancy warning level of the court is set at Orange.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Report on the Activities of the Senate Judiciary Committee, 112th Congress
- ↑ United States Periodic Press Gallery
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 112th Congress Nomination Materials
- ↑ United States Periodic Press Gallery
- ↑ US Courts Current judicial vacancies
- ↑ Judge Lefkow Biography from the Federal Judicial Center.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "President Obama Nominates Two to the United States District Courts" 9/20/2012
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate" 9/20/2012
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 "President Obama Nominates Three to the United States District Courts" 9/19/2012 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "nomfull919" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "nomfull919" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "nomfull919" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 "Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate" 9/19/2012
- ↑ "President Obama Nominates Two to Serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit" 6/11/2012
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