Bill Summary
This bill, known as the Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved Act or the JUDGES Act, aims to address the shortage of district judges in various districts within the United States. The bill authorizes the appointment of additional judges in 27 districts, including in Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and Texas. These appointments will take place in two phases, with the first set of appointments to be made by January 21, 2021 and the second set by January 21, 2025. Additionally, this bill converts temporary judgeships in Hawaii, Kansas, Missouri, Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Texas to permanent judgeships, and makes corresponding technical and conforming amendments to the table of judgeships in section 133(a) of title 28, United States Code. The bill also directs the Comptroller General of the United States to report on vacant and underutilized federal courthouses within one year of the bill's enactment. Finally, the bill authorizes funding for the implementation of these changes.
Possible Impacts
1. The creation of additional district judgeships could lead to more efficient resolution of court cases, potentially reducing delays in the judicial process for individuals involved in legal proceedings.
2. The appointment and confirmation process for these new judgeships could impact the careers and livelihoods of attorneys and legal professionals seeking employment in the affected districts.
3. The allocation of funds for new courthouses or renovations to existing courthouses could impact the accessibility and availability of legal services for individuals living in areas with high rates of judicial emergencies.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4779 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4779
To authorize additional district judges for the district courts and
convert temporary judgeships.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 1, 2020
Mr. Young introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize additional district judges for the district courts and
convert temporary judgeships.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Judicial Understaffing Delays
Getting Emergencies Solved Act'' or the ``JUDGES Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The Judicial Conference of the United States requested
the creation of 65 new district judges in its 2019 report.
(2) The Judicial Conference of the United States has named
42 vacancies as judicial emergencies.
(3) In fiscal year 2019, there were 456,827 pending cases,
averaging 674 per judgeship, of which 15.8 percent were over 3
years old.
SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL DISTRICT JUDGES FOR THE DISTRICT COURTS.
(a) Additional Judgeships.--
(1) 2021.--On or after January 21, 2021, the President
shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate--
(A) 2 additional district judges for the district
of Arizona;
(B) 4 additional district judges for the central
district of California;
(C) 3 additional district judges for the eastern
district of California;
(D) 2 additional district judges for the northern
district of California;
(E) 2 additional district judges for the southern
district of California;
(F) 1 additional district judge for the district of
Colorado;
(G) 1 additional district judge for the district of
Delaware;
(H) 3 additional district judges for the middle
district of Florida;
(I) 2 additional district judges for the southern
district of Florida;
(J) 1 additional district judge for the district of
Idaho;
(K) 1 additional district judge for the southern
district of Indiana;
(L) 1 additional district judge for the northern
district of Iowa;
(M) 1 additional district judge for the district of
Nevada;
(N) 2 additional district judges for the district
of New Jersey;
(O) 1 additional district judge for the district of
New Mexico;
(P) 1 additional district judge for the eastern
district of New York;
(Q) 1 additional district judge for the southern
district of New York;
(R) 1 additional district judge for the eastern
district of Texas;
(S) 1 additional district judge for the southern
district of Texas; and
(T) 3 additional district judges for the western
district of Texas.
(2) 2025.--On or after January 21, 2025, the President
shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate--
(A) 2 additional district judges for the district
of Arizona;
(B) 5 additional district judges for the central
district of California;
(C) 2 additional district judges for the eastern
district of California;
(D) 2 additional district judges for the northern
district of California;
(E) 2 additional district judges for the southern
district of California;
(F) 1 additional district judge for the district of
Colorado;
(G) 3 additional district judges for the middle
district of Florida;
(H) 1 additional district judge for the northern
district of Florida;
(I) 1 additional district judge for the southern
district of Florida;
(J) 1 additional district judge for the northern
district of Georgia;
(K) 1 additional district judge for the southern
district of Indiana;
(L) 2 additional district judges for the district
of New Jersey;
(M) 1 additional district judge for the eastern
district of New York;
(N) 1 additional district judge for the western
district of New York;
(O) 1 additional district judge for the district of
Puerto Rico;
(P) 1 additional district judge for the eastern
district of Texas;
(Q) 1 additional district judge for the southern
district of Texas; and
(R) 3 additional district judges for the western
district of Texas.
(b) Conversion of Temporary Judgeships.--The existing judgeships
for the district of Hawaii, the district of Kansas, and the eastern
district of Missouri authorized by section 203(c) of the Judicial
Improvements Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-650; 28 U.S.C. 133 note) and
the existing judgeships for the northern district of Alabama, the
district of Arizona, the central district of California, the southern
district of Florida, the district of New Mexico, the western district
of North Carolina, and the eastern district of Texas authorized by
section 312(c) of the 21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations
Authorization Act (Public Law 107-273, 28 U.S.C. 133 note), as of the
date of enactment of this Act, shall be authorized under section 133 of
title 28, United States Code, and the incumbents in those offices shall
hold the office under section 133 of title 28, United States Code, as
amended by this Act.
(c) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--The table contained in
section 133(a) of title 28, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking the items relating to Alabama and inserting
the following:
``Alabama:
Northern............................. 8
Middle............................... 3
Southern............................. 3'';
(2) by striking the item relating to Arizona and inserting
the following:
``Arizona............................ 17'';
(3) by striking the items relating to California and
inserting the following:
``California:
Northern............................. 18
Eastern.............................. 11
Central.............................. 37
Southern............................. 17'';
(4) by striking the item relating to Colorado and inserting
the following:
``Colorado........................... 9'';
(5) by striking the item relating to Delaware and inserting
the following:
``Delaware........................... 5'';
(6) by striking the items relating to Florida and inserting
the following:
``Florida:
Northern............................. 5
Middle............................... 21
Southern............................. 21'';
(7) by striking the items relating to Georgia and inserting
the following:
``Georgia:
Northern............................. 12
Middle............................... 4
Southern............................. 3'';
(8) by striking the item relating to Hawaii and inserting
the following:
``Hawaii............................. 4'';
(9) by striking the item relating to Idaho and inserting
the following:
``Idaho.............................. 3'';
(10) by striking the items relating to Indiana and
inserting the following:
``Indiana:
Northern............................. 5
Southern............................. 7'';
(11) by striking the items relating to Iowa and inserting
the following:
``Iowa:
Northern............................. 3
Southern............................. 3'';
(12) by striking the item relating to Kansas and inserting
the following:
``Kansas............................. 6'';
(13) by striking the items relating to Missouri and
inserting the following:
``Missouri:
Eastern.............................. 7
Western.............................. 5
Eastern and Western.................. 2'';
(14) by striking the item relating to Nevada and inserting
the following:
``Nevada............................. 8'';
(15) by striking the item relating to New Jersey and
inserting the following:
``New Jersey......................... 21'';
(16) by striking the item relating to New Mexico and
inserting the following:
``New Mexico......................... 8'';
(17) by striking the items relating to New York and
inserting the following:
``New York:
Northern............................. 5
Southern............................. 29
Eastern.............................. 17
Western.............................. 5'';
(18) by striking the items relating to North Carolina and
inserting the following:
``North Carolina:
Eastern.............................. 4
Middle............................... 4
Western.............................. 5'';
(19) by striking the item relating to Puerto Rico and
inserting the following:
``Puerto Rico........................ 8'';
and
(20) by striking the items relating to Texas and inserting
the following:
``Texas:
Northern............................. 12
Southern............................. 21
Eastern.............................. 10
Western.............................. 19''.
SEC. 4. GAO REPORT ON VACANT AND UNDERUTILIZED COURTHOUSES.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the
Comptroller General of the United States shall make publicly available
a report identifying Federal courthouses that are vacant or underused.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary to carry out this Act and the amendments made by this Act,
including such sums as may be necessary to provide appropriate space
and facilities for the judicial positions created by this Act or an
amendment made by this Act.
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