The Judicial Nominations Blog

Vacancies: Courts of Appeals: Current Vacancies: 3   ( ±  0  this week) Future Vacancies: 2   ( +  1 ) Carlos F. Lucero, Tenth Circuit, senior status, February 1, 2021, 1/12 seats vacant District Courts: Current Vacancies: 47   ( +  1 ) Theresa Lazar Springmann, Northern District of Indiana, senior status, January 23, 2021, 1/5 seats vacant Future Vacancies: 19   ( +  12 ) Anthony J. Battaglia, Southern District of California, senior status, March 31, 2021, 6/13 seats vacant Catherine C. Blake, District of Maryland, senior status, April 2, 2021, 3/10 seats vacant Vanessa D. Gilmore, Southern District of Texas, retirement, January 2, 2022, 1/19 seats vacant James S. Gwin, Northern District of Ohio, senior status, January 31, 2021, 2/11 seats vacant ¹ Phyllis J. Hamilton, Northern District of California, senior status, February 1, 2021, 3/14 seats vacant Ellen Lipton Hollander, District of Maryland, senior status, TBD, 3/10 seats vacant Michael W. Mosman, District of Oregon, senior statu

This week, the Senate is holding votes on some executive branch nominations. Floor Action:¹ Monday: The Senate will vote at 5:30 pm to confirm former Federal Reserve Chairman Janet Yellen to be Secretary of the Treasury. Tuesday: The Senate will vote to confirm former Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken to be Secretary of State. Wednesday: The Senate will confirm additional Cabinet nominees. Thursday: The Senate will confirm additional Cabinet nominees. Notes: ¹The floor schedule is an approximate guide to when votes may occur. It may not necessarily be completely accurate due to things changing in the Senate during the week.

Vacancies: Courts of Appeals: Current Vacancies: 3   ( +  1  this week) Robert A. Katzmann, Second Circuit, senior status, January 21, 2021, 1/13 seats vacant Future Vacancies: 1   ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Current Vacancies: 46   ( +  2 ) William Haskell Alsup, Northern District of California, senior status, January 21, 2021, 1/14 seats vacant Larry A. Burns, Southern District of California, senior status, January 22, 2021, 5/13 seats vacant Future Vacancies: 7  ( ±  0 ) Victoria A. Roberts, Eastern District of Michigan, senior status, February 24, 2021, 1/15 seats vacant ¹ Pending Nominations: Courts of Appeals: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 0   ( ±  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: 3   ( ±  0 ) Hearings held and still in Committee: 0   ( ±  0 ) Reported out of Committee/Pending

This week, the Senate is holding votes on some executive branch nominations. Floor Action:¹ Tuesday: The Senate will hold a pro forma session to prevent President Trump from making any recess appointments. Wednesday: Senators will attend the 59th presidential inauguration, and the Senate will convene and might vote to confirm some of President-elect Joe Biden's Cabinet nominees. New senators from Georgia and California will be sworn in. Thursday: The Senate will confirm additional Cabinet nominees. Friday: The Senate will confirm additional Cabinet nominees. Notes: ¹The floor schedule is an approximate guide to when votes may occur. It may not necessarily be completely accurate due to things changing in the Senate during the week.

Vacancies: Courts of Appeals: Current Vacancies: 2   ( ±  0  this week) Future Vacancies: 1   ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Current Vacancies: 44   ( ±  0 ) Future Vacancies: 7   ( ±  0 ) Pending Nominations: Courts of Appeals: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 0   ( ±  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: 3   ( ±  0 ) Hearings held and still in Committee: 0   ( ±  0 ) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 0   ( ±  0 ) Court of Federal Claims: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 2   ( ±  0 ) Hearings held and still in Committee: 1   ( ±  0 ) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 0   ( ±  0 ) Tax Court: Pending before Senate Finance Committee without hearing: 1   ( ±  0 ) Hearings held and still in Committee: 0   ( ±  0 ) Reported out

This week, the Senate is out of session, with senators back in their home-states  for the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  Pro forma  sessions (to prevent recess appointments) will be held on January 12th and January 15th. Next week, the Senate will return for President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration.

Vacancies: Courts of Appeals: Current Vacancies: 2   ( ±  0  this week) Future Vacancies: 1   ( +  1 ) Merrick B. Garland, District of Columbia Circuit, retirement, TBD, 1/11 seats vacant District Courts: Current Vacancies: 44   ( ±  0 ) Future Vacancies: 7   ( +  1 ) Roslynn R. Mauskopf, Eastern District of New York, appointment as Director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, February 1, 2021, 4/15 seats vacant Pending Nominations: Courts of Appeals: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 0   ( ±  0  this week) Hearings held and still in Committee:  1   ( ±  0 ) Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach, of Puerto Rico, to be a United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit ( officially nominated , January 3, 2021) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 0   ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 3   ( - 17 ) Edmund G. LaCour, Jr., of Alabama, to be a United States District Judge for the Middle District of

This week, the Senate will meet in a joint session with the House of Representatives to count the electoral votes cast in the 2020 presidential election. Floor Action:¹ Sunday: The 116th Congress will end at noon, and the 117th Congress will begin. Monday: The Senate will be in recess. Tuesday: The Senate will be in recess. Thursday: The Senate will meet in a joint session with the House of Representatives to count the electoral votes cast in the 2020 presidential election. Notes: ¹The floor schedule is an approximate guide to when votes may occur. It may not necessarily be completely accurate due to things changing in the Senate during the week.

Vacancies: Courts of Appeals: Current Vacancies: 2   ( ±  0  this week) Future Vacancies: 0   ( ±  0 ) District Courts: Current Vacancies: 44   ( ±  0 ) Future Vacancies: 6   ( ±  0 ) Pending Nominations: Courts of Appeals: Pending before Senate Judiciary Committee without hearing: 0   ( ±  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: 20   ( ±  0 ) Hearings held and still in Committee: 0   ( ±  0 ) Reported out of Committee/Pending on Executive Calendar: 3   ( ±  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: 1   ( ±  0 ) Tax Court: Pending before Senate Finance Committee without hearing: 1   ( ±  0 ) Hearings held and still in Committee: 0   ( ±  0 ) Reported ou