Tag: judicial

  • Federal judges block greenhouse gas emissions rule

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    Two federal judges in Texas and Kentucky ruled against the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) greenhouse gas emissions rule, which would require states to set goals to reduce vehicle emissions. Judge James Wesley Hendrix of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled on March 27, 2024, that the FHWA did not…

  • Three states end judicial deference practices

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    Lawmakers in Indiana, Nebraska, and Idaho passed bills in March 2024 to end judicial deference practices in each state. The bills were based on model legislation developed by The Goldwater Institute and the Pacific Legal Foundation, titled the Judicial Deference Reform Act.  Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen (R) on March 27, 2024, and Idaho Governor Brad…

  • State supreme court vacancy count for December 2023

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    In this month’s state supreme court vacancy update, Ballotpedia tracked announced retirements, nominations, appointments, confirmations, and swearing ins of justices from December 1 to December 21, 2023. Ballotpedia tracks court vacancies in all 52 state supreme courts. Announced retirements: No new retirements were announced. Candidates nominated/appointed: One candidate was nominated to fill a vacancy. Nominees…

  • 2023 sees high percentage of mandatory state supreme court retirements, continuing 2022 trend

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    Photo of Colorado State Supreme Court building

    In 2022 and the first half of 2023, there was been an uptick in the percentage of mandatory retirements in state supreme courts. From 2019 to 2021, about one in every four retirements were mandated, while the remaining were voluntary. In 2022, there was an increase in the proportion of mandatory retirements, with about one…

  • Ballotpedia identifies 17 noteworthy Supreme Court cases regarding redistricting from 1946 to 2023

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    Ballotpedia has identified 17 noteworthy redistricting cases that the Supreme Court has heard since 1946, with the most recent one being Allen v. Milligan. In a 5-4 decision on June 8, SCOTUS affirmed the judgment of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama that the state’s congressional redistricting plan adopted in…

  • State courts of last resort continue to have majority female justice membership

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    As of June 2023, 15 out of the 53 courts of last resort in the United States had a female justice majority membership. This is a net increase of one state since 2022, adding California, Illinois, and Utah, while Ohio and Oregon had decreases in their membership of female justices. According to the National Center…

  • Tracker: Article III federal judicial nominations by president by days in office since 2001

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    Through June 12, 2023, there were 890 authorized federal judicial posts and 76 vacancies. Seventy-five of those were for Article III judgeships. This report is limited to Article III courts, where appointees are confirmed to lifetime judgeships. Since May 1: By June 1, 863 days in office, President Joe Biden (D) had nominated 164 judges…

  • Upcoming Article III Judicial Vacancies

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    According to the latest vacancy data from the U.S. Courts, there were 24 total announced upcoming vacancies for Article III judgeships. Article III judgeships refer to federal judges who serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of International Trade, or one of the 13 U.S. courts of appeal or 94 U.S. district courts.…

  • Tracker: Article III federal judicial nominations by president by days in office since 2001

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    Through Nov. 1, 2022, there were 890 authorized federal judicial posts and 89 vacancies. Eighty-seven of those were for Article III judgeships. This report is limited to Article III courts, where appointees are confirmed to lifetime judgeships. In the past month, no judges have been confirmed In the past month, one judge was nominated. By…

  • Tracker: Article III federal judicial nominations by president by days in office since 2001

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    Through Oct. 1, 2022, there were 890 authorized federal judicial posts and 85 vacancies. Eighty-three of those were for Article III judgeships. This report is limited to Article III courts, where appointees are confirmed to lifetime judgeships. In the past month: Eight judges have been confirmed Nine judges have been nominated. By Oct. 1, 620…