JD Journal » federal judges

Threats Against Social Security Judges Increase

joshua — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 19:42:04 +0000

According to this story from the AP, the number of physical threats made against administrative judges increasedy 18% last year, but it’s the nature of the threats, not the number, that is most troubling. Over the past year, threats have amplified in nature with more threats involving serious bodily harm or violence against the judges’ families. No judges were harmed during the reporting period, although one possible explanation for a shoot out in a Las Vegas federal courthouse that left one security guard and the gunman dead is frustration over a reduction in the shooter’s social security benefits.

Social Security judges currently face a backlog of approximated two million cases and some people have to wait over two years to begin receiving disability payments as a result.

The Obama Administration Names Federal Judge Nominees

sara — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:22:04 +0000

Judge Kathleen O’Malley and Raymond Lohier Jr. have been nominated by President Barack Obama for federal appellate judgeships.

O’Malley has been nominated for the Federal Circuit. She has been a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio since 1994. She also teaches patent litigation at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, where she received her law degree. O’Malley has served as the first assistant attorney general and chief of staff to the Ohio attorney general. She was chief counsel to Ohio Attorney General Lee Fischer from 1991 to 1992. She is a former associate at Jones Day and made partner at Porter Wright Morris & Arthur during her tenure from 1985 to 1991.

Raymond Lohier Jr. has been nominated for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit. Lohier received his law degree from New York University and he currently serves as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York and heads the office’s Securities and Commodities Task Force. From 1997 to 2000 Lohier was a senior trial attorney in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. He was also an associate at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton from 1993 to 1997.

California’s Proposition 8 Trial Will be Broadcast

joshua — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:29:02 +0000

The 9th Circuit recently put in place new rules that give federal judges in the circuit the option of allowing trials to be broadcast. Judge Vaughn Walker announced today that he will allow the upcoming trial over the constitutionality of California’s proposition 8, which amended the California Constitution to ban same sex marriages, to be broadcast on youtube. Defenders of proposition 8 objected to the judge’s ruling, saying that it could lead to witness harassment.

The trial is set to begin on January 11, and features the all star duo of David Boies and Ted Olson, who argued against each other in the Supreme Court case Bush v Gore, as co-attorneys for the plaintiffs. For more of our coverage of this case, Perry v. Schwarzenegger, click here.

Gerard Lynch Confirmed for 2nd Circuit Seat

joshua — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 23:23:22 +0000

Gerard Lynch was confirmed by the Senate today for a seat on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, making him the first appellatejudge appointed by President Obama to win confirmation. Lynch had a relatively easy confirmation, winning Senate approval by a 94-3 vote, but several other nominees are currently being held up by the kind of partisan maneuvering we’ve unfortunately come to expect with judicial nominees.

There are currently 20 vacancies on the appellate level and 72 vacancies for federal district court judges.

Obama Nominates 3 to District Court Bench

Erik Even — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:25:49 +0000

In more Obamanomination news, the President has nominated three California lawyers to the United States District Court bench.

Edward Chen has been nominated for the US District Court for the Northern District of California. Chen currently serves as a US Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of California. He was a staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, Northern California Chapter. His law degree is from the UC Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law.

Dolly Gee has been nominated to the US District Court for the Central District of California. She is a managing partner in the Los Angeles law firm of Schwartz Steinsapir, where she practices labor and employment litigation. She received her JD from the UCLA School of Law.

Richard Seeborg has been nominated to the US District Court for the Northern District of California. He is currently a US Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of California, and previously worked at Morrison & Foerester, in both Palo Alto and San Francisco, where he was an equity partner. Seeborg also served as an Assistant US Attorney in San Jose, California. His JD is from the Columbia University School of Law.

The 94 United States district courts are the general trial courts of the US federal court system. Both civil and criminal cases are filed in the district court, which is a court of law, equity, and admiralty.

Federal Judges to Get COLA

Erik Even — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:13:27 +0000

The US House of Representatives voted this week for a $410 billion spending plan to keep the federal government running through September. The plan includes a cost-of-living adjustment for the federal judiciary for the 2009 calendar year.

According to the Administrative Office of the US Courts, the proposal would give judges a 2.8% pay increase retroactive to January.

The pay bump would end judges’ status as the only federal employees who did not get a cost-of-living adjustment this year. They have gone without such an increase in seven of the last 14 years, and Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. has made the issue a priority.

The spending plan now heads to the Senate, which has been less receptive to arguments for higher judicial pay and could amend the plan. In October, senators removed plans for the judiciary’s 2009 cost-of-living adjustment from auto-bailout legislation passed by the House.

House members voted in the same legislation to turn down their own cost-of-living adjustment scheduled for January 2010. Because judicial pay is linked to congressional pay, the chances for a judicial adjustment in 2010 are looking pretty low.

President Barack Obama’s proposed budget for the federal government’s 2010 fiscal year, which the White House released this morning, does not include a cost-of-living adjustment or pay raise for the federal judiciary.

Former Attorney General Mukasey Joins Debevoise & Plimpton

Erik Even — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:28:09 +0000

Former Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey announced this afternoon that he will join the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton as a partner.

The retired federal judge from New York will handle corporate investigations for the firm.

Mukasey left his post as the nation’s chief law enforcement officer last month after spending more than a year in Washington. Bipartisan groups of lawmakers praised him for helping to improve morale at a department that had been demoralized by hiring scandals under his predecessor, Alberto R. Gonzales.

As a federal judge, Mukasey developed expertise in terrorism, overseeing the trial of Omar Abdel Rahman, also known as the Blind Sheik.

Mukasey said that the looks forward to working with lawyers at Debevoise, where he expects to work on behalf of corporate boards and oversee companies that have run afoul of the law as an independent monitor.

Roberts: Federal Judges Need Pay Raises

Erik Even — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:16:41 +0000

Despite calls throughout the nation for state and federal employees to take pay cuts or involuntary furloughs to save tax dollars in the economic meltdown, US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. is demanding that Congress pass pay raises for federal jurists as soon as possible.

In his year-end report on the state of the federal judiciary, Chief Justice Roberts praised the courts as frugal, dedicated and crucial to the life and economic recovery of the nation. But to keep the courts strong, Roberts said, Congress needs to pass pay raises, or at least cost-of-living increases, for federal judges.

“Given the judiciary’s small cost, and its absolutely critical role in protecting the Constitution and rights we enjoy, I must renew the judiciary’s modest petition: Simply provide cost-of-living increases that have been unfairly denied!” Roberts wrote in his report. “We have done our part — it is long past time for Congress to do its.”

In 2007 the judiciary committees of both the House and the Senate endorsed substantial pay increases, but the bills languished as the financial state of the nation worsened.

Roberts says judges are the only federal employees to begin 2009 without a cost of living increase.

District court judges are currently paid $169,300 — the same as members of Congress — while circuit judges are paid $179,500, associate Supreme Court justices $208,100, and the chief justice $217,400.

Roberts emphasized that the judiciary is a bargain for taxpayers whose benefits to society far outweigh its costs.

Noting that the budget of the judicial branch in 2008 totaled $6.2 billion, Roberts said, “That represents a mere two-tenths of 1% of the United States’ total budget. Two-tenths of 1%! That is all we ask for one of the three branches of government — the one charged to guard the Constitution and the rights of individuals.”

Roberts devoted several pages of his report to the cost-cutting measures the courts have undertaken to limit rent, personnel and information technology costs. Taken together, these measures should save up to $300 million through 2017, Roberts reported.

Via Legal Times.