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The Federal Vacancy Count 6/24/2015
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June 24, 2015
This month's Federal Vacancy Count includes nominations, confirmations and vacancies from May 27, 2015, to June 23, 2015. Nominations, confirmations and vacancies occurring on and after June 24 will be reflected in the July report.
June saw vacancies on the federal judiciary continue to grow as there were no new confirmations and a handful of new transitions to senior status.
The vacancy warning level remained at blue this month after four new vacancies, two new nominations and no new confirmations. The vacancy percentage rose to 6.8 percent, and the total number of nominees waiting for confirmation rose to 18. The number of vacancies of Article III judges rose to 59 out of 874. A breakdown of the vacancies at 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 | 5.0% or 9 vacancies |
| District Courts | 677 | 6.8% or 46 vacancies |
| International Trade | 9 | 44.4% or 4 vacancies |
| All Judges | 874 | 6.8% or 59 vacancies |
New vacancies
District of Massachusetts
Douglas Woodlock
| On June 1, 2015, Douglas Woodlock assumed senior status for the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Woodlock joined the court in 1986 after a nomination from President Ronald Reagan. He is a graduate of Yale University and Georgetown University of Law, and he started his career as a law clerk for the Honorable Frank Murray. Woodlock's transition to senior status creates the only vacancy on the District of Massachusetts. The warning level rose from green to blue. | 
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District of New Jersey
Stanley Chesler
| Judge Stanley Chesler assumed senior status for the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey on June 15, 2015. Chesler was appointed to the court by President George W. Bush in 2002. He is a graduate of Harpur College and St. Johns University School of Law. The transition creates the fourth vacancy on the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. The vacancy warning level remained at yellow. | 
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Middle District of Florida
John Steele
| On June 3, 2015, John Steele assumed senior status for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Steele was appointed to the court by President Bill Clinton in 2000. He earned his undergraduate degree and J.D. from the University of Detroit. The transition creates the only vacancy on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. The vacancy warning level rose from green to blue. |
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Northern District of Iowa
Mark Bennett
| On June 4, 2015, Mark Bennett assumed senior status for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. Bennett was appointed to the court by President Bill Clinton in 1994. He graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College and Drake University Law School. The transition creates the only vacancy on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. The vacancy warning level rose from green to red. | 
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New confirmations
There were no new confirmations in the past month.
New nominations
President Barack Obama on the nominations:
| “ | These individuals have had distinguished legal careers and I am honored to ask them to serve as judges on the federal bench. I am confident they will serve the American people with distinction from the District Court bench.[1][2] | ” |
District of Nebraska
Robert F. Rossiter, Jr.
| On June 11, 2015, President Barack Obama nominated Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. to the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska. Rossiter is currently a partner at the law firm of Fraser Stryker PC LLO. He started his career as a law clerk for the Honorable Arlen Beam and has since worked for Fraser Stryker PC LLO. Rossiter earned his B.S. from Purdue University in 1978 and his J.D., graduating cum laude, from Creighton University School of Law in 1981.[1] If confirmed, Rossiter would fill the only vacancy on the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska. The vacancy warning level is currently set at orange. | 
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District of New Jersey
Brian R. Martinotti
| On June 11, 2015, President Barack Obama nominated Brian R. Martinotti to the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. Martinotti is currently a judge for the Vicinage 2 Superior Court in New Jersey. Prior to joining the New Jersey courts in 2002, he was a council member for the Borough of Cliffside Park for 11 years and an attorney for Beattie Padovano, LLC for 15 years. Martinotti started his career as a law clerk for the Honorable Roger M. Kahn of the New Jersey Tax Court. He earned his B.S. from Fordham University in 1983 and his J.D. from Seton Hall University in 1986.[1] If confirmed, Martinotti will fill one of four vacancies on the United States District Court for the District of New York. The vacancy warning level is currently set at yellow. |
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Monthly map
The monthly map is updated every month 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 The White House, "President Obama Nominates Two to Serve on the United States District Courts," June 11, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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