Tag: Federal Courts
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U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals rejects judicial deference to agency commentary that expanded sentencing guidelines
On December 1, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled unanimously in U.S. v. Malik Nasir that courts should reject judicial deference to United States Sentencing Commission commentary that expands federal sentencing guidelines. The case involves Malik Nasir’s marijuana conviction and the decision to sentence him as a career offender using definitions…
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Johnson, Beaton receive judicial commission as U.S. District Court judges
On December 1, 2020, Kristi Johnson received her judicial commission to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. On the same date, Benjamin Beaton received his judicial commission to the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. Johnson was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump (R)…
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Ballotpedia releases federal judicial vacancy count for November
In this month’s federal judicial vacancy count, Ballotpedia tracked nominations, confirmations, and vacancies to all United States Article III federal courts from November 2, 2020, to December 1, 2020. Ballotpedia publishes the federal judicial vacancy count at the start of each month. HIGHLIGHTS • Vacancies: There has been one new judicial vacancy since the October…
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U.S. Supreme Court announces circuit assignments
The U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) announced circuit assignments for the chief justice and the associate justices on November 20. Under Title 28, United States Code, Section 42, each SCOTUS justice is assigned to one of the 13 U.S. courts of appeal. The U.S. courts of appeal are the intermediate appellate courts of the U.S. federal…
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U.S. Senate confirms Cannon to federal district court judgeship
The U.S. Senate confirmed Aileen Cannon to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida by a 56-21 vote on November 12, 2020. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida is one of 94 U.S. District Courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. After…
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U.S. Senate confirms Knepp to federal district court judgeship
The U.S. Senate confirmed James Knepp to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio by a 64–24 vote on November 10, 2020. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio is one of 94 U.S. District Courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. After…
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Number of Republican-majority federal circuit courts has doubled in Trump administration
Since Donald Trump (R) took office in January 2017, he has appointed 52 judges to the 13 federal circuit courts. At the time of his inauguration, a majority of members on four of those courts were appointed by Republican presidents. Before the 2020 election, a majority of members on eight of those courts were appointed…
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Trump has appointed second-most federal judges through November 1 of a president’s fourth year
Donald Trump has appointed and the Senate has confirmed 220 Article III federal judges through November 1, 2020, his fourth year in office. This is the second-most Article III judicial appointments through this point in all presidencies since Jimmy Carter (D). The Senate had confirmed 260 of Carter’s appointees at this point in his term.…