The Federal Vacancy Count 3/4/2015
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March 4, 2015
This week's Federal Vacancy Count includes nominations, confirmations and vacancies from February 25, 2015, to March 3, 2015. Nominations, confirmations and vacancies occurring on March 4 will be reflected in the March 11 report.
The United States Senate remained inactive on nominations this week while two new nominees were named by the president. The vacancy warning level continued to creep up as two more judges assumed senior status.[1][2]
The vacancy warning level remained at blue this week after two new vacancies, two new nominations and no new confirmations. The vacancy percentage rose to 5.8 percent, and the total number of nominees waiting for confirmation rose to 15. The number of vacancies of Article III judges rose to 51 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 | 4.5% or 8 vacancies |
| District Courts | 677 | 5.8% or 39 vacancies |
| International Trade | 9 | 44.4% or 4 vacancies |
| All Judges | 874 | 5.8% or 51 vacancies |
New vacancies
International Trade
Jane Restani
| Jane Restani assumed senior status on March 1, 2015, after 31 years on the bench.[2] Restani was appointed to the court by President Ronald Reagan in 1983. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1969 and her J.D. from the University of California Davis School of Law in 1973. The transition creates the fourth vacancy on the United States Court of International Trade. The vacancy warning level rose from orange to red. | 
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Southern District of Iowa
James Gritzner
| James Gritzner assumed senior status for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa on March 1, 2015.[2] Gritzner was appointed to the court by President George W. Bush in 2002. He earned his undergraduate degree from Dakota Wesleyan University in 1969 and his J.D. from Drake University Law School in 1979. He also earned his master's degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 1974. The transition creates the only vacancy on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. The vacancy warning level rose from green to orange. | 
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New confirmations
There were no new confirmations in the past week.
New nominations
President Barack Obama on the 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.[3] | ” |
| —President Barack Obama[1] | ||
District of New Jersey
Julien Xavier Neals
| Julien Xavier Neals received a nomination to the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey from President Barack Obama on February 26, 2015.[1] Neals is county counsel for Bergen County, New Jersey. Prior to joining the county in 2015, he was an attorney for the law firm of Chasan Leyner & Lamparello, P.C. in 2014 and from 1992 to 2006. He also worked for the City of Newark from 2006 to 2014. Neals started his career as a law clerk for New Jersey Superior Court Judge Seymour Margulies. He earned his B.A. from Morehouse College in 1982 and his J.D. from the Emory University School of Law in 1991.[1]
Neals was nominated to fill the vacancy created by Faith Hochberg, who will take senior status on March 6, 2015.[4] The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey currently has two vacancies, and the warning level is set at yellow. |
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Southern District of Florida
Mary Barzee Flores
| On February 26, 2015, President Barack Obama nominated Mary Barzee Flores to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.[1] Flores is currently a shareholder for the law firm of Steams Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A. Her prior experience includes eight years as a circuit judge for the Florida 11th Circuit Court, 13 years at the Federal Public Defender's Office of the Southern District of Florida and two years as an assocaiate at Sonnett, Sale and Kuehne, P.A. Flores earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Miami School of Music in 1985 and her J.D., graduating cum laude, from the University of Miami Law School in 1988.[1]
Flores was nominated to fill the vacancy created by Robin Rosenbaum, who was elevated to the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.[4] The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida currently has one vacancy, and the warning level is set at blue. |
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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
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 The White House, "President Obama Nominates Two to Serve on the United States District Courts," February 26, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 United States Courts, "Current Judicial Vacancies," accessed March 4, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The White House, "Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate," February 26, 2015
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