Author: Brittony Maag
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SCOTUS accepts three cases for argument during the 2021-2022 term
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) on Nov. 5 accepted three additional cases for argument during its 2021-2022 term: Ruan v. United States (Consolidated with Kahn v. United States) Marietta Memorial Hospital Employee Health Benefit Plan v. DaVita, Inc. Egbert v. Boule Ruan concerns the good faith defense available to defendants charged under…
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Ballotpedia releases federal judicial vacancy count for Oct. 2021
In this month’s federal judicial vacancy count, Ballotpedia tracked nominations, confirmations, and vacancies in Article III courts during the month of October through Nov. 1. Ballotpedia publishes the federal judicial vacancy count at the start of each month. HIGHLIGHTS Vacancies: There have been three new judicial vacancies since the September 2021 report. There are 74…
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Biden has appointed most federal judges through Nov. 1 of a president’s first year
President Joe Biden (D) has appointed and the Senate has confirmed 28 Article III federal judges through Nov. 1 of his first year in office. This is the most Article III judicial appointments through this point in all presidencies since 1981. The Senate had confirmed 11 of President Donald Trump’s (R) appointees at this point…
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SCOTUS accepts two cases related to Texas’ S.B. 8; schedules argument for Nov. 1
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) accepted two new cases on Oct. 22 for review during its 2021-2022 term. Both cases relate to Texas’ abortion law S.B. 8 and have been scheduled for oral argument on Nov. 1. Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson concerns a state’s ability to avoid federal judicial review of…
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U.S. Senate confirms Gelpí and O’Hearn to federal judgeships
The U.S. Senate confirmed two of President Joe Biden’s (D) federal judicial nominees to lifetime Article III judgeships on Oct. 18 and 19: Gustavo Gelpí was confirmed on Oct. 18 to the United States Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit by a vote of 52-41. Gelpí was nominated to the court on May 12…
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Tennessee Supreme Court justice’s death leaves vacancy
Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Cornelia Clark passed away from cancer on Sept. 24. Her death created one vacancy on the five-member supreme court. Clark’s replacement will be Gov. Bill Lee’s (R) first nominee to the court. Under Tennessee law, midterm vacancies on the supreme court are filled via gubernatorial appointment with legislative approval. The appointed…
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Special election for vacant Iowa House seat called for October
A special election has been called to fill the vacant Iowa House of Representatives seat in District 29. The seat became vacant on Sept. 10 when former state Rep. Wesley Breckenridge (D) resigned to take a job with the Iowa Law Enforcement Agency. The special election is scheduled for Oct. 12. The candidate filing deadline…
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Special election for vacant Massachusetts Senate seat called for 2022
A special election has been called to fill the vacant Massachusetts State Senate seat in the First Suffolk & Middlesex District. The seat became vacant on Sept. 9 when former state Sen. Joseph Boncore (D) resigned to become CEO of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MassBio). The special general election is set for Jan. 11, 2022,…
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President Biden announces eight additional nominees for Article III judgeships
President Joe Biden (D) announced his intent to nominate eight individuals to Article III judgeships on Sept. 8. With the addition of these eight, Biden has nominated a total of 41 individuals to Article III judgeships since the start of his term. To date, nine of Biden’s nominees have been confirmed by the U.S. Senate.…
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President Biden has appointed the most federal judges through September 1 of a president’s first year
President Joe Biden (D) has appointed and the Senate has confirmed nine Article III federal judges through Sept. 1 of his first year in office. This is the most Article III judicial appointments through this point in all presidencies going back to President Ronald Reagan (R). The Senate had confirmed six of President Donald Trump’s…