The Federal Vacancy Count 7/29/2015
From Ballotpedia
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July 28, 2015
This month's Federal Vacancy Count includes nominations, confirmations and vacancies from June 24, 2015, to July 28, 2015. Nominations, confirmations and vacancies occurring on and after July 29 will be reflected in the July report.
The federal judiciary continued the slow rise in the number of vacancies this month as the United States Senate remained mostly inactive on nominations.
The vacancy warning level remained at blue this month after four new vacancies, two new nominations and one new confirmation. The vacancy percentage rose to 7.2 percent, and the total number of nominees waiting for confirmation rose to 19. The number of vacancies of Article III judges rose to 63 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 | 7.3% or 50 vacancies |
| International Trade | 9 | 44.4% or 4 vacancies |
| All Judges | 874 | 7.2% or 63 vacancies |
New vacancies
Third Circuit
Marjorie Rendell
| Marjorie Rendell assumed senior status on the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit on July 1, 2015.[1] Rendell's federal judicial career began with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in 1994. She was elevated to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals by President Bill Clinton in 1997. Rendell earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1969 and her J.D. from Villanova Law in 1973. Her transition to senior status created the second vacancy on the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. The warning level rose from blue to yellow. | 
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Eastern District of Louisiana
Ivan Lemelle
| On June 29, 2015, Ivan Lemelle assumed senior status on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.[1] Lemelle was appointed to the court by President Bill Clinton in 1997, and he was confirmed on April 3, 1998. He graduated from Xavier University in 1971 and from the Loyola University School of Law in 1974. The transition creates the only vacancy on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The warning level rose from green to blue. | 
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Western District of Oklahoma
Robin Cauthron
| On July 14, 2015, Robin Cauthron assumed senior status on the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.[1] Cauthron joined the court in 1991 after a nomination from President George H.W. Bush. She earned her undergraduate degree and J.D. from the University of Oklahoma in 1970 and 1977. The transition creates the second vacancy on the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. The vacancy warning level rose from yellow to orange. | 
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Western District of Tennessee
Samuel Mays
| On July 1, 2015, Samuel Mays assumed senior status on the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.[1] Mays was appointed to the court by President George W. Bush in 2002. He earned his undergraduate degree from Amherst College in 1970 and his J.D. from Yale Law School in 1973. The transition creates the only vacancy on the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. The vacancy warning level rose from green to yellow. |
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New confirmations
Federal Circuit
Kara Farnandez Stoll
| The United States Senate confirmed Kara Farnandez Stoll to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on July 7, 2015, with a vote of 95 to 0.[2] Stoll leaves her position as a partner at the law firm of Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett and Dunner, LLP. She brings to the bench 11 years of experience as a professor, 18 years as an attorney and six years as a patent examiner. She started her law career as a clerk for Judge Alvin Schall. Stoll earned her B.S. from Michigan State University in 1991 and her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. Her confirmation came 237 days after her nomination and filled the vacancy created by the retirement of Randall Rader. The confirmation filled the only vacancy on the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The vacancy warning level fell from blue to green. | 
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New nominations
Central District of California
President Barack Obama on the nomination:
| “ | I am pleased to nominate Judge Young to serve on the United States District Court bench. I am confident he will serve the American people with integrity and a steadfast commitment to justice.[3][4] | ” |
Mark A. Young
| President Barack Obama nominated Mark A. Young to the United States District Court for the Central District of California on July 16, 2015.[3] Young is currently a judge for the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, California. Prior to joining the superior court, Young was an assistant United States attorney for 10 years and an associate with White & Case LLP for three years. He earned his B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1991 and his J.D. from the University of Southern California School of Law in 1995.[3] The American Bar Association rated Young Substantial Majority Well Qualified, Minority Qualified for the position.[5] The United States District Court for the Central District of California currently has one vacancy, and the warning level is set at blue. |
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Northern District of Iowa
President Barack Obama on the nomination:
| “ | I am pleased to nominate Judge Leonard Terry Strand to serve on the United States District Court bench. I am confident he will serve the American people with distinction.[6][4] | ” |
Leonard T. Strand
| President Barack Obama nominated Leonard T. Strand to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa on July 21, 2015.[6] Strand is currently a federal magistrate judge for the same district to which he was appointed. Prior to joining the court, he was an attorney with the law firm of Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman PLC. Strand earned his B.A., with high distinction, from the University of Iowa in 1987 and his J.D., with highest distinction, from the same university in 1990. The American Bar Association rated Strand Unanimously Well Qualified for the position.[7] | 
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Monthly map
The 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 1.3 Lancaster Online, "US Circuit Judge Rendell taking senior status," January 30, 2015
- ↑ United States Senate, "On the Nomination (Confirmation Kara Farnandez Stoll, of Virginia, to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Federal Circuit)," accessed July 7, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 The White House, "President Obama Nominates Judge Mark A. Young to serve on the United States District Court for the Central District of California," July 16, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ American Bar Association, "Rating of Article III Judicial Nominees: 114th Congress," accessed July 20, 2015
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The White House, "President Obama Nominates Judge Leonard Terry Strand to Serve on the United States Court for the Northern District of Iowa," July 21, 2015
- ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III Judicial Nominees: 114th Congress," accessed July 24, 2015
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[[Category:Oklahoma 2015 news]
