Federal Courts and Nominations

Editorial: Fill judicial vacancies

Even before Senate Democrats changed the filibuster rule to ease the confirmation of judicial and executive branch nominees, Pennsylvania’s two senators had managed to find common ground.

 

Democrat Bob Casey and Republican Pat Toomey established a process to vet nominees, which enabled them to present a very helpful united front to the Judiciary Committee and the full Senate. One result is that they have been able to end the “judicial emergency” of vacancies that long had plagued the Scranton-based U.S. Middle District of Pennsylvania.

 

Yet vacancies remain in the state’s two other federal court districts that diminish the public’s ready access to justice.

 

According to the Constitutional Accountability Center, the Philadelphia-based Eastern District has seven judicial vacancies. Mr. Casey and Mr. Toomey agreed in August on two nominees – attorney Gerald McHugh and Judge Edward Smith – but the confirmation process has stalled and there has been no movement toward nominations for the other five seats.

 

The Western District, Pittsburgh, has three vacancies, for which 40 lawyers and judges had applied before the deadline nearly a year ago, but no names have been forwarded to the White House.

 

The change in the filibuster rule should produce more confirmations to help get the courts up to speed. Nationwide there are 88 vacancies and 20 announced retirements. It’s more important that Mr. Casey and Mr. Toomey continue their good work, in public, to get qualified candidates into the process.

 

___

 

This piece appeared in at least the following additional outlets:

 

*  The Wilkes Barre (PA) Citizens Voice (online)

*  The Towanda (PA) Daily Review (online)

More from Federal Courts and Nominations

Federal Courts and Nominations
November 9, 2024

Trump has shaped the Supreme Court, but it could still hinder his agenda

NBC News
Although the court has three Trump appointees as part of its 6-3 conservative majority, it...
Federal Courts and Nominations
January 17, 2024

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights Sign-On Letter Prioritizing Diverse Judges

Dear Senator, On behalf of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and the...
Federal Courts and Nominations
July 31, 2023

Liberal justices earn praise for ‘independence’ on Supreme Court, but Thomas truly stands alone, expert says

Fox News
Some democrats compare Justice Clarence Thomas to ‘Uncle Tom’ and house slave in ‘Django Unchained’
By: Elizabeth B. Wydra, By Brianna Herlihy
Federal Courts and Nominations
July 7, 2023

In Her First Term, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson ‘Came to Play’

The New York Times
From her first week on the Supreme Court bench in October to the final day...
By: Elizabeth B. Wydra, by Adam Liptak
Federal Courts and Nominations
July 8, 2023

The Supreme Court’s continuing march to the right

CNN
Major legal rulings that dismantled the use of race in college admissions, undermined protections for...
By: Elizabeth B. Wydra, by Tierney Sneed
Federal Courts and Nominations
June 25, 2023

Federal judge defends Clarence Thomas in new book, rejects ‘pot shots’ at Supreme Court

CNN
A federal appeals court judge previously on short lists for the Supreme Court is taking the rare...
By: Elizabeth B. Wydra