Texas judge gets past U.S. Senate logjam

[ashling]

Last edited Wed Sep 30, 2015, 01:23 PM - Edit history (2)

http://blog.chron.com/texaspolitics/2015/04/texas-judge-gets-past-u-s-senate-logjam/


div class="excerpt"]No final votes have been scheduled for Texas judges George Hanks Jr. and Jose Olvera Jr., although Senate aides said they could be confirmed in the coming weeks. Texas’ 11 federal judicial vacancies are the most of any state.

Bennett’s is the first judicial nomination to clear the Senate since Republicans took over in January. The delays mounted under Democratic control as well, even after Senate rules were changed to ease confirmation of presidential nominations to the lower courts and executive offices.

The growing national backlog has provoked finger-pointing on both sides, with plenty of blame to go around as the White House makes nominations based the recommendations of the U.S. senators from the states where the vacancies occur.

Democrats argue that Texas had a full complement of federal district court judges when President Barack Obama was elected in 2008, a sign of their cooperation with the Bush administration. Since then, however, the White House has sought to give Texas Democrats in the U.S. House delegation a voice in recommending federal judges, a role that has traditionally been reserved for senators.

As Gothmog pointed out below, this article is from April. Thanks GM.

I did some more research on the status of the judicial emergencies in Texas and found the following:
http://judicialnominations.org/judicial-vacancies/#Court-of-Appeals-for-the-Fifth-Circuit-(Texas)

Eastern District of Texas
2 current vacancies
Vacant since: 03/10/2015, 05/15/2015
1 future vacancy
To be vacated: 1/7/2016
2 judicial emergencies
No nominee
Northern District of Texas
2 vacancies
Vacant since: 07/03/2013, 01/15/2015
1 judical emergency
No nominee
Southern District of Texas
2 vacancies
Vacant since: 06/01/11, 05/20/2014
1 judical emergency
No nominee
Western District of Texas
1 vacancy
Vacant since: 02/13/2015
1 judical emergency
No nominee

[Gothmog]

1. This is article is from April

I know that Judge Hanks is on the bench

[ashling]

2. Thanks

I updated my post.

[Gothmog]

3. I have a friend who attend Judge Hanks swearing in