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The Federal Vacancy Count 9/30/2015
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September 30, 2015
This month's Federal Vacancy Count includes nominations, confirmations and vacancies from August 25, 2015, to September 29, 2015. Nominations, confirmations and vacancies occurring on and after September 30 will be reflected in the October report.
There were minor changes in the federal judiciary this month as the U.S. Senate returned from the fall recess.
The vacancy warning level remained at blue this month after one new vacancy, four new nominations and one new confirmation. The vacancy percentage remained at 7.7 percent, and the total number of nominees waiting for confirmation rose to 32. The number of vacancies of Article III judges remained 67 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 | 8.0% or 54 vacancies |
| International Trade | 9 | 44.4% or 4 vacancies |
| All Judges | 874 | 7.7% or 67 vacancies |
New vacancies
Western District of Missouri
Gary Fenner
| On September 8, 2015, Gary Fenner assumed senior status for the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri. Fenner joined the court on July 25, 1996, after an appointment from President Bill Clinton. Fenner earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas in 1970 and his J.D. from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law in 1973.[1]
The transition created a vacancy on the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri, which was filled the same day. The vacancy warning level remained at green. |
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New confirmations
Western District of Missouri
Roseann A. Ketchmark
| Roseann A. Ketchmark was confirmed to the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri on September 8, 2015, on a U.S. Senate vote of 96-0.[2] At the time of her confirmation, Ketchmark was an assistant United States attorney for the Western District of Missouri. She earned her B.S. from the University of Oklahoma in 1986 and her J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1990.[3] Ketchmark's confirmation came 292 days after her nomination, and she filled the vacancy that was created by Gary Fenner, who retired on September 8, 2015, the same day as Ketchmark's confirmation.
The vacancy warning level remained at green. |
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New nominations
President Barack Obama on the nominations of Connors, Gallagher and McElroy:
| “ | 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.[4][5] | ” |
President Barack Obama on the nomination of Ebinger:
| “ | I am pleased to nominate Rebecca Ebinger to serve on the United States District Court bench. I am confident she will serve the American people with distinction.[6][5] | ” |
District of Hawaii
Clare E. Connors
| Clare E. Connors received a nomination from President Barack Obama to the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii on September 8, 2015. Connors is currently an attorney for the law firm of Davis Levin Livingston. Her prior experience includes seven years as assistant United States attorney for the District of Hawaii; one year as a trial attorney for the United States Department of Justice; and one year as special assistant United States attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Connors started her career as a law clerk for the Honorable David Alan Ezra of the District of Hawaii.[4]
The United States District Court for the District of Hawaii currently has no vacancies, and the warning level is set at green. |
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District of Maryland
Stephanie A. Gallagher
| President Barack Obama nominated Stephanie A. Gallagher to the United States District Court for the District of Maryland on September 8, 2015. Gallagher is currently a federal magistrate judge for the same district to which she was nominated. Prior to joining the District of Maryland, she spent three years as a partner with Levin & Gallagher LLC, six years as an assistant United States attorney for the District of Maryland, and two years as an associate for the law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. Gallagher started her career as a law clerk for the Honorable Frederick Motz of the District of Maryland. She earned her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University, graduating magna cum laude, in 1994 and her J.D. from Harvard Law School, graduating cum laude, in 1997.[4]
The United States District Court for the District of Maryland currently has one vacancy, and the warning level is set at blue. |
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District of Rhode Island
Mary S. McElroy
| On September 8, 2015, President Barack Obama nominated Mary S. McElroy to the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. McElroy is currently a public defender for the Rhode Island Public Defender's Office. Her other experience includes six years as an assistant federal public defender for the Districts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. She also spent 12 years as assistant Rhode Island public defender and one year as an associate for the law firm of Tate and Elias LLC.[4]
The United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island currently has no vacancies, and the warning level is set at green. |
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Southern District of Iowa
Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger
| President Barack Obama nominated Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa on September 15, 2015. Ebinger is currently a judge for District 5C of Iowa. Her prior experience includes three years as an assistant United States attorney and two years as a law clerk for Michael Melloy of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. She started her career as a special assistant United States attorney for the Northern District of Iowa. Ebinger earned her B.S.F.S from Georgetown University in 1997 and her J.D. from Yale Law School in 2004.[6]
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa currently has one vacancy, and the warning level is set at orange. |
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Monthly map
This 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
- ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "U.S. District Courts for the Districts of Missouri," accessed September 30, 2015
- ↑ United States Senate, "On the Nomination (Confirmation Roseann A. Ketchmark, of Missouri, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District)," accessed September 29, 2015
- ↑ The White House, "President Obama Nominates Three to Serve on the United States District Courts," November 20, 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 The White House, "President Obama Nominates Three to Serve on the United States District Courts," September 8, 2015
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The White House, "President Obama Nominates Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger to Serve on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa," September 15, 2015
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