Federal vacancies still a problem for Atlanta's courts
October 31, 2011
Georgia: Currently, three vacancies are plaguing the federal courts in Atlanta; two on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia and one on the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.
On the District Court, two nominees were appointed by President Barack Obama on January 26, 2011. As such, the administration views the nominees as a "package" and expects them to be confirmed simultaneously. This poses a problem for Georgia's Republican senators, who support the confirmation of Linda T. Walker, but not that of Natasha P. Silas. No explanation for this decision has been given. One notable aspect of the nominees is that they are both African-American women, who if confirmed would be the first to serve on the court.[1]
To the Court of Appeals, Adalberto Jordan was appointed by the president on August 22, 2011. Before Jordan was nominated for the seat, it had sat vacant since August 2010, even though former judge Stanley Birch announced his retirement in February 2010.[1]
These open seats have a negative effect on the current members of the court. The nine judges of the District Court must rely heavily on Senior Status judges to help with the current caseload. Equally important, the dispensing of justice in the area has decreased in the years that these seats have been vacant.
Footnotes
| |||||
