Category: Federal
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U.S. Supreme Court releases December calendar
The U.S. Supreme Court has released its December argument calendar for the 2020-2021 term. The court will hear 10 hours of oral argument in 12 cases between November 30 and December 9. So far, the court has agreed to hear 31 cases during its 2020-2021 term. November 30, 2020: • Van Buren v. United States…
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U.S. Supreme Court announces oral arguments to be conducted via teleconference for upcoming October sitting
On September 16, 2020, the United States Supreme Court announced that it would hear oral arguments via teleconference during its October sitting, following the same format that was used during its May sitting in the 2019-2020 term. Under this format, all relevant counsel are called the morning of the case’s argument day and are briefed…
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U.S. Senate confirms six U.S. District Court nominees
The U.S. Senate confirmed six nominees to U.S. District Court judgeships. The 94 U.S. District Courts are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. The Senate has confirmed 214 of President Trump’s Article III judicial nominees—two Supreme Court justices, 53 appellate court judges, 157 district court judges, and two U.S. Court of…
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Special election approaches for Georgia’s 5th Congressional District
The special general election for Georgia’s 5th Congressional District is on September 29, 2020. A runoff election is scheduled for December 1. If no candidate wins a majority of the vote in September, the top-two vote recipients will advance to the runoff. Seven candidates are competing in the special election: • Robert Franklin (D)…
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Debate over federal aid to states in response to the coronavirus pandemic
Coronavirus-related business closures and job losses reduced state income and sales tax revenues. State budget shortfalls resulting from lost tax revenue are projected to total between $41 billion and $110 billion in fiscal year 2020. In FY 2021, shortfalls are projected between $121 billion and $290 billion. Between March and August 2020, Congress and President…
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Federal judge finds Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 orders unconstitutional
On September 14, 2020, Judge William Stickman IV, of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, struck down some of Penn. Gov. Tom Wolf’s (D) COVID-19 orders as violations of rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Various Pennsylvania counties, businesses, and elected officials brought the lawsuit County of Butler v. Wolf, which…
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No current U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacancies
Seventeen U.S. Court of Appeals judgeships were vacant when President Trump was inaugurated on January 20, 2017. Today, there are no U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacancies. According to the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts, no U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judges have announced their intent to leave active judicial status during the remainder of…
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Federal Register weekly update: Lowest final rule total since first week of January
The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s regulatory activity. From September 7 to September 11, the Federal Register grew by 1,112 pages for a year-to-date total of 56,470 pages. Over the same…
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All candidates in Michigan’s 8th Congressional District election complete Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey
Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D), Paul Junge (R), and Joe Hartman (L) are running in the election for Michigan’s 8th Congressional District. Voters can now read Candidate Connection survey responses from all three candidates. Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey so voters can discover what motivates them on political and…
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Major party candidates for Congress elections, 2016-2020
As of September 10, 2020, 3,169 major party candidates filed to run for U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. For U.S. Senate, 519 candidates filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Of those, 402—199 Democrats and 203 Republicans—are from one of the two major political parties. • In 2018, 529 candidates filed to run…