Federal Courts, Empty Benches: The Wednesday Vacancy Count 5/1/2013
May 1, 2013
- For a District by District break down, see: Federal Court Vacancy Warning System
The vacancy warning level for the U.S. Federal courts is currently set at Blue. There was one new confirmation and three vacancies this past week, leaving the final tally at 82 vacancies or approximately 9.4% of the total Article III posts currently unfilled. The vacancy information for the various court levels is as follows:
| Key: | |
| (Percentage of seats vacant.) | |
| 0% | 1%-9% |
| 10%-24% | 25%-40% |
| More than 40% | |
| Supreme Court | 0% or no vacancies |
| Appeals Courts | 8.9% or 16 vacancies |
| District Courts | 9.7% or 66 vacancies |
There are currently 9 Supreme Court posts, 179 appellate court posts and 680 district court posts for a total of 868 Article III judges. This count includes four temporary posts, one each in the Northern District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Southern District of Florida and the Central District of California. This also includes two shared post between the two Missouri districts and the two Kentucky districts, which count as two posts with separate vacancies.
Weekly map
The new weekly map feature will be updated every week and posted here and on the vacancy warning level analysis page.
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New confirmations
Eighth Circuit
On April 24, 2013, the United States Senate confirmed Jane Kelly to an Article III post for the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit with a vote of 96-0.[1][2] Kelly was originally nominated on January 31, 2013, by Barack Obama to the seat vacated by Michael Melloy. At the time of nomination, Kelly was an Assistant Federal Public Defender in the Northern District of Iowa. She was rated Unanimously Qualified by the American Bar Association. She had a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 27, 2013 and you can find her Committee Questionnaire available here and her Questions for the Record available here.[3] The confirmation fills the only vacancy on the court of eleven, lowering the vacancy warning level from Blue to Green.
New vacancies
Western District of Missouri
On April 24, 2013, Judge Richard Dorr passed away while serving on the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri. He had served on the court for over 10 years.[4] Dorr was originally nominated by George W. Bush and joined the court on August 2, 2002. At the time of his nomination, he was a private practice attorney. Dorr graduated from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana with his bachelor's degree in 1965 and later graduated from University of Missouri Law School with his J.D. degree in 1968. Dorr also served in the U.S. Air Force JAG Corps from 1968 to 1973 and also served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve JAG Corps from 1974 to 1990.[5] His passing creates the first vacancy on the court of seven, raising the vacancy warning level from Green to Yellow.
Western District of Pennsylvania
On April 24, 2013, Judge Gary Lancaster passed away while serving on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He had served on the court for nearly 20 years and served as Chief Judge from 2009 until his passing.[6] Lancaster was originally nominated by Bill Clinton and joined the court on November 24, 1993. At the time of his nomination, he was a magistrate judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania. A native Pennsylvanian, Lancaster graduated from Slippery Rock State College with his bachelor's degree in 1971 and later graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law with his Juris Doctorate degree in 1974.[7] His passing creates the first vacancy on the court of ten, raising the vacancy warning level from Green to Blue.
Tenth Circuit
On April 30, 2013, Judge Terrence O'Brien assumed senior status for the United States Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit after serving on the court for nearly 20 years.[8] O'Brien was originally nominated by George W. Bush and joined the court on April 16, 2002. At the time of his nomination, he was a judge for the Sixth Judicial District Court of Wyoming. Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, O'Brien graduated from the University of Wyoming with his bachelor's degree in 1965 and later from the University of Wyoming Law School with his Juris Doctor degree in 1972. O'Brien was a member of the United States Army, Ordnance Corps from 1966-1969.[9] His transition to senior status creates the third vacancy on the court of twelve, leaving the vacancy warning level unchanged at Yellow.
New nominations
There were no new nominations this past week.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ 113th Congress Confirmations
- ↑ United States Periodic Press Gallery
- ↑ 113th Congress Nomination Materials
- ↑ U.S. Courts Current Vacancies
- ↑ "FJC.gov" Biography of Richard Dorr, June 3, 2009
- ↑ U.S. Courts Current Vacancies
- ↑ "FJC.gov" Judge Lancaster Biography
- ↑ U.S. Courts Current Vacancies
- ↑ Judge Terrence O'Brien Federal Judicial Center Biography (dead link)
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