How many federal judicial appointments will President Obama get to make?

[terrya]

Besides the possibility of at least one Supreme Court appointment, appointing liberal/moderate Federal judges will be a very satisfying legacy of the Obama Presidency.

[babylonsister]

1. How about four dozen, for starters?!

Many Federal Judgeship Openings Await Obama

By MARK SHERMAN | Associated Press
November 9, 2008


WASHINGTON — - President-elect Barack Obama will enter office with an immediate opportunity to begin shaping the federal courts by filling four dozen openings on trial and appeals courts.

Federal judges, with lifetime appointments, can be a president's most enduring legacy. President Bush receives uniformly high marks from Republicans, even those who criticized him on other issues, for his selection of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito.

Public attention typically is focused on the Supreme Court, where five justices are older than 70. Speculation about a possible opening centers on 88-year-old Justice John Paul Stevens, but any retirement is unlikely before the summer, if then.

By contrast, 14 seats are open on appeals courts or will be by the end of January. Democratic appointees are a majority on only one of the 13 federal appeals courts, the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

These are the courts that as a practical matter have the final say on everyday issues that affect millions of people because the Supreme Court accepts less than 2 percent of the cases appealed to the justices.

more...

http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-obamajudges1109.artnov09,0,6977040.story?track=rss

[streakr]

2. Hopefully

ALL OF THEM!!!

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