The Judicial Nominations Blog

This week, the Senate is holding votes on eight nominations, and the Judiciary Committee will convene a nominations hearing and an executive business meeting. Floor Action: Monday: The Senate will vote to invoke cloture on the nomination of William Cooper to be General Counsel of the Department of Energy at 5:30 pm. Tuesday: The Senate will vote to confirm William Cooper, and will then vote to invoke cloture on (and ultimately confirm) the nomination of R. Clarke Cooper to be an Assistant Secretary of State. Next, the Senate will vote to invoke cloture on and then confirm the nomination of Gordon Hartogensis to head the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation for a five-year term. Wednesday: The Senate will vote to invoke cloture on and then confirm the nomination of Deputy Solicitor General of Texas, J. Campbell Barker, to be a district judge for the Eastern District of Texas's Tyler Division. After disposing of the Barker nomination, the Senate will vote on cloture

Vacancies: Courts of Appeals: Current Vacancies: 8 ( ±  0   this week) Future Vacancies: 2  ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Current Vacancies: 129  ( ±  0) Future Vacancies: 14  ( ±  0) Pending Nominations: Courts of Appeals: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 1 ( ±  0 this week) Hearings held and still in Committee: 0  ( ±   0) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 4 ( ±   0) District Courts: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing:  15  ( ±  0) Hearings held and still in Committee: 3 ( ±  0) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 37 ( ±  0) Court of Federal Claims: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 2 ( ±  0) Hearings held and still in Committee: 0 ( ±  0) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 2 ( ±  0) Tax Court: Pending before Senate Finance Committee without hearing: 3 ( ±  0) Hearings held and still in Commi

This week, the Senate is out of session, with senators back in their home-states for a work period.  Pro forma  sessions (to prevent recess appointments) will be held on April 22nd and April 25th. Next week, the Senate will vote on 3 executive branch nominees and 5 district court nominees.

Vacancies: Courts of Appeals: Current Vacancies: 8 ( ±  0   this week) Future Vacancies: 2  ( +  1 ) Christopher F. Droney, Second Circuit, senior status, June 30, 2019, 4/13 seats vacant ¹ District Courts: Current Vacancies: 129  ( ±  0) Future Vacancies: 14  ( ±  0) Pending Nominations: Courts of Appeals: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 1 ( ±  0 this week) Hearings held and still in Committee: 0  ( ±   0) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 4 ( ±   0) District Courts: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing:  15  ( ±  0) Hearings held and still in Committee: 3 ( ±  0) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 37 ( ±  0) Court of Federal Claims: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 2 ( ±  0) Hearings held and still in Committee: 0 ( ±  0) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 2 ( ±  0) Tax Court: Pending

This week, the Senate is out of session, with senators back in their home-states for a work period.  Pro forma  sessions (to prevent recess appointments) will be held on April 15th and April 18th. Next week, the Senate will remain in recess.

Vacancies: Courts of Appeals: Current Vacancies: 8  ( ±  0   this week) Future Vacancies: 1  ( ±  0) District Courts: Current Vacancies: 129  ( - 4 ) Future Vacancies: 14  ( +  1 ) Joe L. Heaton,  Western District of Oklahoma , senior status, July 1, 2019, 3/7 seats vacant Pending Nominations: Courts of Appeals: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 1 ( ±  0 this week) Hearings held and still in Committee: 0  ( ±   0) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 4 ( ±   0) District Courts: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing:  15  ( - 3 ) Hearings held and still in Committee: 3  ( +  3 ) Jeffrey Vincent Brown, of Texas, to be a United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas ( hearing held , April 10, 2019) Stephanie L. Haines, of Pennsylvania, to be a United States District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania ( hearing held , April 10, 2019) Brantley Starr, o

This week, the Senate is holding votes on seven nominations, and the Judiciary Committee will convene a nominations hearing. Floor Action: Monday: No votes scheduled. Tuesday: The Senate will vote to invoke cloture on the nomination of former Colorado Solicitor General Daniel Domenico to a district court seat in the state. Due to controversy regarding litigation stances he took while working for the state attorney general, this vote will likely be along party lines, with the exception of a probable yes vote from Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), who returned a blue slip on the nomination. After two hours, the Senate will then vote to confirm Domenico, and then will vote to invoke cloture on the nomination of Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Patrick Wyrick to be a district judge in the state's Western District. Wyrick is the youngest person currently on the President's Supreme Court list, so expect vehement opposition from Senate Democrats. If cloture is invoked, a vote on

Vacancies: Courts of Appeals: Current Vacancies: 8  ( ±  0   this week) Future Vacancies: 1  ( ±  0) District Courts: Current Vacancies: 133  ( ±   0) Michael Joseph Reagan,  Southern District of Illinois , senior status, March 31, 2019, 2/4 seats vacant Future Vacancies: 13  ( ±  0) Keith Starrett,  Southern District of Mississippi , senior status, April 30, 2019, 2/6 seats vacant Pending Nominations: Courts of Appeals: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 1 ( ±  0 this week) Hearings held and still in Committee: 0  ( - 2 ) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 4 ( +  2 ) Daniel P. Collins, of California, to be a United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit (Cal. No. 201),  12–10 Kenneth Kiyul Lee, of California, to be a United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit (Cal. No. 202),  12–10 District Courts: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing:  18  ( +  1 ) Steven D.

This week, the Senate is holding votes on one nomination and a few legislative measures, and the Judiciary Committee will possibly convene a business meeting. Floor Action: Monday: The Senate will vote at 5:30 pm to invoke cloture on the Shelby substitute Amendment No. 201 to H.R. 268 , the supplemental disaster appropriations bill. Depending on whether or not Democrats revolt regarding the level of Puerto Rico funding in the bill (they see it as too low, and the President believes it is too high) cloture may or may not be invoked. Tuesday: If H.R. 268 isn't wrapped up on Monday, the Senate will complete work on it and then will vote to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to  S.Res. 50 , the resolution changing up postcloture time for various presidential nominations. It's likely this motion will fail due to the 3/5ths requirement, but Democrats might support the initial vote in a demonstration of good faith if they earn guarantees of voting on possible amendme