Congress Looks to Boost Judicial Appointments, Provide Relief to Judges with Overloaded Dockets
The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to consider bipartisan legislation in June to authorize more than 60 new federal judgeships at trial courts over several years. A House panel is expected to consider a similar version in late summer or early fall.
Judiciary leaders in both parties and in both chambers support the effort, which is an urgent issue amid worsening caseloads in federal courts in Delaware, California, Texas, and other states.
It’s been more than two decades since Congress last created a new judgeship for any of the nation’s 94 federal district courts, leaving some courts struggling and judges overworked as population and case filings swell.
There are more than 660 active district seats and 10 temporary ones.