A Look at Federal Court Openings Awaiting Obama: "an immediate impact"

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT/AP: A Look at Federal Court Openings Awaiting Obama
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: November 8, 2008

A look at the dozens of federal court openings awaiting President-elect Obama and the date the former judge left office or is planning to step down. Some courts have been without a full-time judge for more than two years. Some judges plan to retire shortly after Obama takes office. The vacancies will allow the new president to have an immediate impact on the federal courts.

CIRCUIT COURTS OF APPEALS

1st Circuit (Maine, Mass., N.H., R.I., Puerto Rico) -- December 2006

2nd Circuit (Conn., N.Y., Vt.) -- July 2008

3rd Circuit (Del., N.J., Pa., Virgin Islands) -- January 2006

3rd Circuit -- December 2006

4th Circuit (Md., N.C., S.C., Va., W.Va.) -- August 2000

4th Circuit -- July 1994

4th Circuit -- September 2007

4th Circuit -- July 2007

5th Circuit (La., Miss., Texas) -- August 2009

6th Circuit (Ky., Mich., Ohio, Tenn.) -- January 2009

7th Circuit (Ill., Ind., Wis.) -- September 2008

9th Circuit (Alaska, Ariz., Calif., Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Mont., Nev., Northern Mariana Islands, Ore., Wash.) -- December 2004

11th Circuit (Ala., Fla., Ga.) -- January 2009

D.C. Circuit (District of Columbia) -- September 2005

D.C. Circuit -- November 2008

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DISTRICT COURTS

Arkansas-eastern -- September 2008

Arkansas-eastern -- September 2008

Arkansas-western -- October 2008

California-central -- May 2006

California-central -- October 2008

California-central -- January 2009

California-eastern --January 2009

California-northern -- April 2008

Colorado -- January 2008

Colorado -- October 2008

Delaware -- December 2006

District of Columbia -- January 2007

District of Columbia -- May 2008

Florida-middle -- August 2008

Georgia-northern -- October 2008

Georgia-northern -- December 2008

Georgia-northern -- February 2009

Illinois-northern -- March 2008

Indiana-northern -- November 2007

Indiana-southern -- July 2009

Louisiana-eastern -- December 2008

Louisiana-middle -- January 2007

Maryland -- September 2008

Michigan-eastern -- January 2007

Michigan-eastern -- January 2009

Mississippi-southern -- February 2006

New York-eastern -- October 2008

New York-northern -- March 2006

New York-western -- March 2009

North Carolina-eastern -- December 2005

Ohio-southern -- January 2009

Pennsylvania-western -- March 2007

Rhode Island --December 2006

South Dakota -- July 2008

Texas-southern -- May 2009

Texas-western -- November 2008

Texas-western -- February 2009

Tennessee-middle -- March 2007

Virginia-eastern -- May 2007

Washington state-eastern -- May 2008

West Virginia-northern -- December 2006

West Virginia-southern -- December 2008

Wyoming -- September 2006

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Source: Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/washington/AP-Obama-Judges-Glance.html

[msongs]

1. US presidential patronage makes chicago political patronage look like a rice grain nt

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. Anyone with serious knowledge of the court process, please explain for me

We know Bush packed the courts.
Which level of judges "serve at the President's will" and can be replaced by a new Pres.
and
which judgeships are for life?

[ThomWV]

3. I don't believe any Federal Judge serves at the President's will

The Court is a separate arm of Government and so Judges should no more serve at the discression the President than a Congressman or Senator would.

[cali]

4. exactly none. and they are all lifetime appointments.

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. Wondering why so many lifetime judges are stepping down, then?

Seems the Federalist Society would want them to remain.

[wellstone dem]

6. all federal judgeships are for life

President appoints, usually after getting recommendation from Senators from the state.

The judiciary was the primary reason I worked so hard to elect our new President.