In this month’s federal judicial vacancy count, Ballotpedia tracked nominations, confirmations, and vacancies from Aug. 2 through Sept. 1, 2025. Ballotpedia publishes the federal judicial vacancy count at the start of each month.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Vacancies: There have been three new judicial vacancies since the August 2025 report. There are 50 vacancies out of 870 active Article III judicial positions on courts covered in this report. Including the United States Court of Federal Claims and the United States territorial courts, 51 of 890 active federal judicial positions are vacant.
- Nominations: There have been 10 new nominations since the previous report.
- Confirmations: There have been no new confirmations since the previous report.
New vacancies
There were 50 vacancies out of 870 active Article III judicial positions, a total vacancy percentage of 5.7, which is 0.3 percentage points higher than the vacancy percentage in August 2025.
- The nine-member U.S. Supreme Court does not have any vacancies.
- Two (1%) of the 179 U.S. Appeals Court positions are vacant.
- 47 (7%) of the 677 U.S. District Court positions are vacant.
- There is one vacancy on the U.S. Court of International Trade.
A vacancy occurs when a judge resigns, retires, takes senior status, or passes away. Article III judges, who serve on courts authorized by Article III of the Constitution, are appointed for life terms.
Three judges left active status, creating Article III life-term judicial vacancies. As Article III judicial positions, these vacancies must be filled by a nomination from the president. Nominations are subject to confirmation on the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate.
- Judge Daniel D. Crabtree assumed senior status on the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.
- Judge Steven Merryday assumed senior status on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
- Judge Eric Melgren assumed senior status on the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.
Federal judicial vacancies
The following map shows the number of vacancies on the United States Court of Appeals as of Sept. 1, 2025.
The following map shows the number of vacancies in the United States District Courts as of Sept. 1, 2025.
The following chart shows the number of federal judicial vacancies each month during President Donald Trump’s (R) administration from Jan. 21, 2025, to Sept. 1, 2025.
New nominations
Trump has announced 10 new nominations since the previousreport.
- Bill Lewis, to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama.
- Edmund LaCour, to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.
- Robert Chamberlin, to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi.
- Jimmy Maxwell, to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi.
- Harold Mooty, to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.
- Rebecca Taibleson, to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
- Lindsey Freeman, to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina.
- David Bragdon, to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina.
- Matthew Orso, to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.
- Susan Rodriguez, to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.
Since taking office in January 2025, Trump has nominated 27 individuals to Article III positions.
New confirmations
There have been no new confirmations since the previous report.
As of Sept. 1, the Senate has confirmed five of Trump’s judicial nominees—three district court judges and two appeals court judges—since January 2025. To review a complete list of Trump’s confirmed nominees from both presidential terms, click here.
Additional reading:
Federal judicial appointments by president
Current federal judicial vacancies