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The Federal Vacancy Count 11/19/2014
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November 19, 2014
This week's Federal Vacancy Count includes nominations, confirmations and vacancies from November 12, 2014, to November 18, 2014. Nominations, confirmations and vacancies occurring on November 19th will be reflected in the November 26th report.
This week saw movement in the federal judiciary as the United States Senate was back to work after the elections. With her confirmation, Leslie Joyce Abrams became the first black female to sit on a federal bench in Georgia.
The vacancy warning level remained at blue this week after two new vacancies, four new nominations and five new confirmations. The vacancy percentage fell to 7.0% and the total number of nominees waiting for confirmation rose to 35. The number of vacancies of Article III judges fell to 61 out of 874. 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% or no vacancies |
| Appeals Courts | 179 | 3.9% or 7 vacancies |
| District Courts | 677 | 7.5% or 51 vacancies |
| International Trade | 9 | 33.3% or 3 vacancies |
| All Judges | 874 | 7.0% or 61 vacancies |
New vacancies
District of South Carolina
Joseph Anderson
| Joseph Anderson, a judge for the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina, transitioned to senior status on November 16, 2014. On the recommendation of long-time U.S. Senator from South Carolina Strom Thurmond, Anderson was nominated by President Ronald Reagan on September 26, 1986, to a seat vacated by Charles Simons, as Simons assumed senior status. Anderson was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 8, 1986, on a voice vote and received commission on October 14, 1986. Anderson served as the chief judge of the court from 2000 to 2007.[1]
The transition creates the second vacancy on the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina. The vacancy warning level rose from blue to yellow. |
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Northern District of Illinois
Ronald Guzman
| On November 16, 2014, Ronald Guzman transitioned to senior status for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. From 1990 to 1999, Guzman served as a U.S. magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Then in 1999, on the recommendation of Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, Guzman was nominated by President Bill Clinton on August 5, 1999, to a federal seat vacated by Brian Duff. Guzman was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on November 10, 1999, and received commission on November 15, 1999.[2]
The transition created the second vacancy on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The vacancy warning level remained at blue. |
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New confirmations
District of Columbia
Randolph D. Moss
| On November 13, 2014, Randolph D. Moss was confirmed United States District Court for the District of Columbia by the United States Senate on a vote of 54-45.[3] Moss leaves a partnership at the law firm of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, LLP to join the federal judiciary. He earned his A.B. from Hamilton College in 1983 and his J.D. from Yale University School of Law in 1986. Moss fills the vacancy of Robert Leon Wilkins, who was elevated to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Moss' confirmation came 224 days after his nomination.
The confirmation removes one of the vacancies on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The vacancy warning level fell from yellow to blue. |
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Middle District of Georgia
Leslie Joyce Abrams
| The United States Senate confirmed Leslie Joyce Abrams to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia on November 19, 2014, on a vote of 100-0.[4] She became the first black female judge on the federal level in the state of Georgia. At the time of her confirmation, Abrams was an assistant United States attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. She earned her B.A. from Brown University in 1997 and her J.D. from Yale University School of Law in 2002. Abrams' confirmation came 252 days after her nomination and fills the vacancy created by Willie Sands.
The confirmation removes the only vacancy on United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. The vacancy warning level fell from yellow to green. |
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Northern District of Georgia
Mark Howard Cohen
| Mark Howard Cohen received confirmation from the United States Senate on November 18, 2014, by a voice vote.[5] At the time of his confirmation, Cohen was a partner at the law firm of Troutman Sanders, LLP. He earned his undergraduate and J.D. degrees from Emory University in 1976 and 1979, respectively. Cohen's confirmation comes 334 days after his nomination and fills a vacancy created by Clarence Cooper.
The confirmation removes one of the four vacancies on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. The vacancy warning level fell from Orange County to blue. |
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Leigh Martin May
| On November 13, 2014, the United States Senate confirmed Leigh Martin May to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia by a vote of 99-0.[6] At the time of her confirmation, May was a partner at the law firm of Butler, Wooten & Fryhofer LLP. She earned her B.S. from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1993 and her J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1998. Her confirmation came 329 days after her nomination and fills the vacancy created by Beverly Martin, who was elevated to the Eleventh Circuit.
The confirmation removes one of the four vacancies on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. The vacancy warning level fell from Orange County to blue. |
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Eleanor L. Ross
| The United States Senate confirmed Eleanor L. Ross on November 18, 2014, on a voice vote.[7] Ross leaves a position as a judge for the DeKalb County State Court in Georgia. Ross earned her undergraduate degree from the American University in 1989 and her J.D. from the University of Houston in 1994. Ross' confirmation comes 334 days after she was first nominated and fills the vacancy created by Charles Pannell.
The confirmation removes one of the four vacancies on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. The vacancy warning level fell from Orange County to blue. |
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New nominations
On the circuit court nominations:
| “ | These individuals have displayed exceptional dedication to the legal profession through their work, and I am honored to nominate them to serve the American people as judges on the United States Courts of Appeals. They will be diligent, judicious and esteemed additions to the bench.[8] | ” |
| —President Barack Obama, [9] | ||
On the district court nominations:
| “ | 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.[8] | ” |
| —President Barack Obama, [10] | ||
Federal Circuit
Kara Farnandez Stoll
| Kara Farnandez Stoll is a partner at the law firm of Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett and Dunner, LLP. Stoll was nominated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit by President Barack Obama on November 12, 2014.[9] Stoll earned her B.S. from Michigan State University in 1991 and her J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1997.[9][11] If confirmed, she would fill the vacancy of Randall Rader, who retired after his impartiality was questioned.[12]
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit currently has one vacancy, and the warning level is set at blue. |
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Third Circuit
Felipe Restrepo
| On November 12, 2014, President Barack Obama nominated Felipe Restrepo to the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit.[9] Judge Restrepo was born in Medellin, Colombia, and raised in northern Virginia. He became a U.S. citizen on September 7, 1993. Restrepo received a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1981 and a J.D. from Tulane Law School in 1986.[13] Restrepo currently serves as a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. If confirmed, Restrepo would fill the vacancy created by Anthony Scirica, who took senior status in July 2013.
The United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit currently has one vacancy, and the warning level is set at blue. |
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Eastern District of California
Dale A. Drozd
| Dale A. Drozd is a federal magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. He was appointed to this position on September 15, 1997.[14] President Barack Obama nominated Drozd to the Eastern District of California on November 12, 2014.[10] Judge Drozd received his B.A. degree from California State University in 1977 and his J.D. degree from the University of California School of Law in 1980. If confirmed, Drozd would fill the vacancy created by Anthony Ishii, who took senior status in October 2012.
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of California currently has one vacancy, and the warning level is set at yellow. |
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Eastern District of New York
LaShann Moutique DeArcy Hall
| LaShann Moutique DeArcy Hall is a partner at the law firm of Morrison & Foerster LLP. President Barack Obama nominated Hall to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York on November 12, 2014. Hall earned her B.A. from Antioch college in 1992 and her J.D., magna cum laude, from Howard University School of Law in 2000.[10] Upon confirmation, Hall would fill a vacancy created by Nicholas Garaufis, who took senior status in October 2014.
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York currently has two vacancies, and the warning level is set at yellow |
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Weekly map
The weekly map is updated every week and posted here and on the Federal Court Vacancy Warning System analysis page.
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See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Judge Anderson's Biography from the Federal Judicial Center
- ↑ Guzman Bio from the Federal Judicial Center.
- ↑ The Library of Congress, "Nomination:PN1552-113," accessed November 19, 2014
- ↑ The Library of Congress, "Nomination: PN1515-113," accessed November 18, 2014
- ↑ The Library of Congress, "Nomination: PN1228-113," accessed November 25, 2014
- ↑ The Library of Congress, "Nomination:PN1230-113," accessed November 19, 2014
- ↑ The Library of Congress, "Nomination: PN1231-113," accessed November 25, 2014
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 The White House, "President Obama Nominates Two to Serve on the United States Courts of Appeals," November 12, 2014
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 The White House, "President Obama Nominates Two to Serve on the United States District Courts," November 12, 2014
- ↑ Finnegan, "Kara Farnandez Stoll," accessed November 13, 2014
- ↑ Courthouse News Service, "Early Retirement for Embattled Federal Judge," June 17, 2014
- ↑ United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, "Luis Restrepo policies and procedures"
- ↑ U.S. Courts for the 9th Circuit, "Biography of Judge Drozd," accessed November 13, 2014
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