The Judicial Nominations Blog

Vacancies: Courts of Appeals: Current Vacancies: 1  ( ±  0  this week) Future Vacancies: 1   ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Current Vacancies: 72   ( ±  0 ) Future Vacancies: 5   ( ±  0 ) Pending Nominations: Courts of Appeals: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 0   ( ±  0  this week) Hearings held and still in Committee: 2   ( ±  0 ) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 0   ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 28   ( ±  0 ) Hearings held and still in Committee: 0   ( ±  0 ) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 14   ( ±  0 ) Court of Federal Claims: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 1   ( ±  0 ) Hearings held and still in Committee: 0   ( ±  0 ) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 4   ( ±  0 ) Tax Court: Pending before Senate Finance Committee without hearing: 2   ( ±  0) Heari

This week, the Senate is out of session, with senators back in their home-states for Memorial Day.  Pro forma  sessions (to prevent recess appointments) will be held on May 26th and May 28th. Next week, the Senate will return to consider five nominations, including two to the judiciary.

Vacancies: Courts of Appeals: Current Vacancies: 1  ( ±  0  this week) Future Vacancies: 1   ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Current Vacancies: 72   ( - 3 ) Future Vacancies: 5   ( ±  0 ) Pending Nominations: Courts of Appeals: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 0   ( - 1  this week) Hearings held and still in Committee: 2   ( +  1 ) Cory T. Wilson, of Mississippi, to be a United States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit ( hearing held , May 20, 2020) Justin Reed Walker, of Kentucky, to be a United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit ( held over , May 21, 2020) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 0   ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 28   ( +  4 ) Aileen Mercedes Cannon, of Florida, to be a United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida ( officially nominated , May 21, 2020) Toby Crouse, of Kansas, to be a Unite

This week, the Senate is holding votes on five nominations, including four to the judiciary, and the Judiciary Committee will convene  a nominations hearing and an executive business meeting . Floor Action:¹ Monday: The Senate will vote at 5:30 pm to invoke cloture on the nomination of Pima County Superior Court Judge Scott H. Rash to be a Judge of the District of Arizona, in Tucson. Rash's nomination is relatively noncontroversial, and if confirmed, he would fill a judicial emergency from 2018. Tuesday: The Senate will vote to confirm Rash, and then will vote to invoke cloture on the nomination of Trey Trainor to be a FEC Commissioner. If confirmed, Trainor would restore a quorum to the commission, and would be a departure from typical practice of confirming Democrats and Republicans to the FEC together, as he's moving through the process himself. In the afternoon, the Senate will vote to confirm Trainor and to invoke cloture on the nomination of Bradley Arant Bou

Vacancies: Courts of Appeals: Current Vacancies: 1  ( ±  0  this week) Future Vacancies: 1   ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Current Vacancies: 75   ( ±  0 ) Future Vacancies: 5   ( ±  0 ) Pending Nominations: Courts of Appeals: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 1   ( ±  0  this week) Hearings held and still in Committee: 1   ( ±  0 ) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 0   ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 24   ( ±  0 ) Hearings held and still in Committee: 0   ( - 6 ) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 17   ( +  6 ) John Peter Cronan, of New York, to be a United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York (Cal. No. 645),  12–10 Thomas T. Cullen, of Virginia, to be a United States District Judge for the Western District of Virginia (Cal. No. 646),  17–5 William Scott Hardy, of Pennsylvania, to be a United States Di

This week, the Senate is holding votes on two nominations and one bill, and the Judiciary Committee will convene  an executive business  meeting . Floor Action:¹ Monday: The Senate will vote at 5:30 pm to invoke cloture on the nomination of FHA Commissioner Brian D. Montgomery to be Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Tuesday: The Senate will vote to confirm Montgomery, and then will vote to invoke cloture on the nomination of Troy D. Edgar to be CFO of the Department of Homeland Security. If cloture is invoked, the Senate will vote to confirm Edgar. Wednesday: The Senate will proceed to consideration of  H.R. 6172 , a bill reauthorizing certain FISA program provisions, and will vote on a couple amendments to the bill. Thursday: The Senate will vote on another amendment to  H.R. 6172 , and on passage of the bill. On Thursday, the Judiciary Committee will hold an  executive session  to vote on and/or hold over the following nominati

Vacancies: Courts of Appeals: Current Vacancies: 1  ( ±  0  this week) Future Vacancies: 1   ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Current Vacancies: 75   ( ±  0 ) Future Vacancies: 5   ( +  1 ) Justin R. Walker, Western District of Kentucky, elevation to District of Columbia Circuit, TBD, 1/5 seats vacant Pending Nominations: Courts of Appeals: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 1   ( +  1  this week) Cory T. Wilson, of Mississippi, to be a United States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit ( officially nominated , May 4, 2020) Hearings held and still in Committee: 1   ( +  1 ) Justin Reed Walker, of Kentucky, to be a United States Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit ( hearing held , May 6, 2020) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 0   ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 24   ( +  4 ) Kristi Haskins Johnson, of Mississippi, to be a United Sta

This week, the Senate is holding votes on two nominations and one bill, and the Judiciary Committee will convene  a nominations hearing and an executive business  meeting . Floor Action:¹ Monday: The Senate will vote at 5:30 pm on the confirmation of Robert J. Feitel to be Inspector General of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Tuesday: No votes have been scheduled. Wednesday: The Senate will vote to invoke cloture on the nomination of William R. Evanina to be Director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center at 12:00 pm. At 2:00 pm, it will vote on confirmation. Thursday: The Senate will vote to override President Trump's veto of S.J. Res. 68 , a War Powers Resolution related to Iran, at 1:30 pm. On Wednesday, the Judiciary Committee will hold a  nominations hearing  for the following nominee: Court of Appeals: Justin R. Walker, to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the District of Columbia Circuit On Thursday, the Judici

Vacancies: Courts of Appeals: Current Vacancies: 1  ( ±  0  this week) Future Vacancies: 1   ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Current Vacancies: 75   ( +  2 ) Karon O. Bowdre, Northern District of Alabama, senior status, April 25, 2020, 1/8 seats vacant Liam O'Grady, Eastern District of Virginia, senior status, May 1, 2020, 2/11 seats vacant Future Vacancies: 4   ( - 2 ) Pending Nominations: Courts of Appeals: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 0   ( ±  0  this week) Hearings held and still in Committee: 0   ( ±  0 ) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 0   ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 20   ( ±  0 ) Hearings held and still in Committee: 7   ( ±  0 ) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 11   ( ±  0 ) Court of Federal Claims: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 1   ( ±  0 ) Hearings held and still i