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When will President Obama start making judicial nominations to the lower courts?

By Douglas A. Berman

According to this official accounting, there are currently 55 federal judicial vacancies (13 in the circuits, 42 in the district cours).  And, as detailed here, 18 of these vacancies constitute "judicial emergencies."  With lots else to do during his first week, I am not yet ready to complain about the pace at which President Obama is looking to fill these vacancies.  But I have been hoping that he would hit the ground running in this arena, and thus I am curious if anyone (insiders or outsiders) has ideas or educated speculations about when the new President will start nominating some new judges. Some related posts: A modest(?) proposal for filling the bench from the ivory tower Urging President-elect Obama to elevate district judges to the circuit courts How a new administration is likely to impact federal sentencing practice Why federal sentencing reformers must focus on the USSC and lower courts Are we on the verge of a new changed era concerning federal sentencing law and policy? What might 2009 have in store for ...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on January 22, 2009 (boomark / email).