Author: Sara Reynolds
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Ballotpedia releases federal vacancy count for November
In this month’s federal vacancy count, Ballotpedia tracked nominations, confirmations, and vacancies from November 5 to December 2, 2019. Ballotpedia publishes the federal vacancy count at the start of each month. HIGHLIGHTS Vacancies: There has been one new judicial vacancy since the October 2019 report. There are 90 vacancies out of 870 active Article…
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U.S. Supreme Court releases February argument calendar
The U.S. Supreme Court has released its February argument calendar for the 2019-2020 term. The court will hear nine hours of oral argument in 11 cases between February 24 and March 4. As of November 25, 2019, the court had agreed to hear 57 cases during its 2019-2020 term. February 24, 2020 United…
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November 2019 breakdown of state legislative party membership: 52.2% Republicans, 46.8% Democrats
November’s partisan count of the 7,383 state legislators across the United States shows 52.2% of all state legislators are Republicans and 46.8% are Democrats. Ballotpedia tallies the partisan balance of state legislatures at the end of every month. This refers to which political party holds the majority of seats in each chamber. Republicans hold…
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SCOTUS adds new case to merits docket
The U.S. Supreme Court added a new case to the merits docket on Friday. As of November 25, 2019, the court had agreed to hear 57 cases during its 2019-2020 term. The Supreme Court began hearing cases for the term on October 7, 2019. The new case—FNU Tanzin v. Tanvir—concerns the Religious Freedom Restoration…
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Senate confirms two federal nominees to 11th Circuit Court of Appeals
The U.S. Senate has confirmed two nominees to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. Overall, the Senate has confirmed 164 of President Trump’s Article III judicial nominees—two Supreme Court justices, 48 appellate court judges, 112 district court judges, and two U.S. Court of International Trade judges—since January 2017. At the end of…
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Iowa governor to fill vacant state supreme court seat
On November 15, Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark Cady died of a heart attack. Cady was the chief justice of the Iowa Supreme Court from 2011 to 2019. He was appointed to the court as an associate justice in 1998 by Governor Terry Branstad (R). Cady previously served on the Iowa Court of…
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U.S. Supreme Court releases January argument calendar
The U.S. Supreme Court has released its January argument calendar for the 2019-2020 term. The court will hear eight hours of oral argument in eight cases between January 13 and January 22. As of November 11, 2019, the court had agreed to hear 53 cases during its 2019-2020 term. January 13 Lucky Brand…
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October 2019 breakdown of state legislative party membership: 52.2% Republicans, 46.9% Democrats
October’s partisan count of the 7,383 state legislators across the United States shows 52.2% of all state legislators are Republicans and 46.9% are Democrats. Ballotpedia tallies the partisan balance of state legislatures at the end of every month. The partisan composition of state legislatures refers to which political party holds the majority of seats…