In Rare Appeal, Federal Judge Begs Senators To Fill Vacancies On His Court

[Calista241]

Source: Huffington Post

It’s not often that a federal judge pleads with the White House and senators to fill vacancies on his or her court. But in the case of U.S. District Judge Lawrence O’Neill, his court’s workload has become so unmanageable that it’s come to begging for help.

“I write this letter out of concern for some 8.5 million people who live in the Eastern District of California, with my intention to prevent an impending, acute, and judicial catastrophe,” O’Neill wrote in a letter Friday to White House counsel Pat Cipollone and California Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris. “The statement sounds serious and ominous. It is both. It may also sound like an exaggeration. It is not.”

....

O’Neill is one of the two judges retiring in the coming months. He is taking senior status on Feb. 2, 2020, along with Judge Morrison England Jr., who is taking senior status on Dec. 17, 2019. Senior status is when a judge has worked long enough to take a reduced caseload or retire completely while still receiving a full salary. Neither O’Neill nor England plan to continue working. Both gave more than a year’s notice of their retirement.

The White House, which routinely announces its intent to nominate people to various federal court seats, has not indicated plans to nominate anyone to this court. Typically, the White House works with both of a state’s U.S. senators to pick judicial nominees. President Donald Trump has ignored that tradition with appeals court nominees but mostly stuck to it with district court picks.

Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/federal-court-vacancies-california-district-judge-lawrence-oneill_n_5daddccae4b0422422c9b149

[LiberalLovinLug]

1. I think the problem is that for Trump to approve they have to be true believers.

And its getting harder and harder to find judges that are rabid Trump supporters.

[not fooled]

2. Stickin' it to California

because CA doesn't kiss red don's ass.

Still, surprising that the fuckderalist society isn't rushing to inflict more corporate-friendly RWNJ goons upon the Federal judiciary.

Obvious that the pukes don't care one whit about having this court function smoothly or citizens having the right to a speedy trial, and all of those other quaint notions.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

3. The Repugs did the same thing to Clinton.

They refused to even consider his nominations, anticipating a Republican president to follow. By the end of his administration, there were more than 100 judicial vacancies.

And a plea from the senior judges for the positions to be filled, just like now.

There must be a plan afoot to fill the judgeships with men (and a couple of white women) who more closely reflect the GOP's dark vision for the future of the country.

[Igel]

6. Here's a link to the current listing.

https://www.uscourts.gov/judges-judgeships/judicial-vacancies/current-judicial-vacancies

Somewhere I recently read that the number of vacancies only in the last 6 months or so got down to what it was when Obama left the WH, but that could use verification.

[maxsolomon]

4. Sorry, Judge O'Neill. As many as can be blocked should be blocked.

better an unmanageable workload than a lifetime appointment to a Dominionist or a Federalist Society Toady.

[not_the_one]

7. I'm with the wisdom of Solomon

NO MORE judges while the turd is sitting on the People's toilet.

[LeftInTX]

5. I think Trump is not appointing

I think the filibuster was lifted by Reid for federal judges.