Judicial Nominations

Every day, federal courts decide cases critical to our rights — from the environment to voting to immigration. Those who are appointed to serve on the bench must be qualified, fair, and impartial. Under President Trump, judicial vacancies are being filled at a breakneck speed, which could transform the federal courts. View updates on President Trump's effort to push the federal bench to the right. 

Update 11/7/19: With the Senate vote to confirm William Nardini to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit, President Trump's judicial nominees now comprise 1/4 of the circuit courts.

National Overview

Total Federal Judges: 870
Confirmations 115th-116th Congress: 174 (2 Supreme Court, 50 circuit, 120 district, & 2 Court of International Trade)
Current Vacancies: 82 (1 circuit, 79 district, 2 Court of International Trade)
Future Vacancies: 15 (1 circuit, 14 district)
Pending Nominees: 46
Waiting for Floor Vote: 18
Waiting to be Reported out of Committee: 10
Waiting for Hearing: 18

Last updated: December 12, 2019

Click on the map to see information on a particular Circuit or District and see more resources below.

By Circuit By District
D.C. Circuit
Federal Circuit
District of DC

Federal Circuit

12 judgeships

  • 12 active judges

D.C. Circuit

11 judgeships

  • 11 active judges

Ninth Circuit

29 judgeships

  • 29 active judges

0 current vacancies

Tenth Circuit

12 judgeships

  • 12 active judges

Eighth Circuit

11 judgeships

  • 11 active judges

Fifth Circuit

17 judgeships

  • 16 active judges

1 current vacancy

  • 10/3/2017
    • Halil Ozerden, nominated 6/24/2019
      • ABA Rating: Sub. Maj. Well Qualified/Min. Qualified
      • Hearing Date: 7/17/2019

Eleventh Circuit

12 judgeships

  • 12 active judges

1 future vacancy

  • TBD
    • Andrew Brasher, nominated 11/21/2019

Seventh Circuit

11 judgeships

  • 11 active judges

Sixth Circuit

16 judgeships

  • 16 active judges

Fourth Circuit

15 judgeships

  • 15 active judges

Third Circuit

14 judgeships

  • 14 active judges

Second Circuit

13 judgeships

  • 13 active judges

0 current vacancies

First Circuit

6 judgeships

  • 6 active judges

District of Columbia

15 judgeships

  • 15 active judges

Central District of California

28 judgeships

  • 19 active judges

9 current vacancies

  •  8/1/2014
    • Stanley Blumenfeld, nominated 2/6/2019
      • ABA Rating: Well Qualified
      • Hearing Date: 11/13/2019
  • 10/29/2015
    • Jeremy Rosen, nominated 2/6/2019
  • 1/28/2016
    • John Holcomb, nominated 11/21/2019
  • 11/23/2016
    • Sandy Leal nominated 10/17/2019
  • 1/6/2017
    • Mark Scarsi, nominated 2/6/2019
      • ABA Rating: Well Qualified
      • Hearing Date: 11/13/2019
  • 10/8/2017
    • Steve Kim, nominated 11/21/2019
  • 2/6/2018
  • 11/4/2018
    • Rick Richmond, nominated 10/17/2019
  • 12/30/2018
    • Fernando Aenlle-Rocha, nominated 10/17/2019
  • 7/5/2019

Eastern District of California

6 judgeships

  • 6 active judges

2 future vacancies

  • 12/17/2019
  • 2/2/2020

Northern District of California

14 judgeships

  • 14 active judges

Southern District of California

13 judgeships

  • 8 active judges

5 current vacancies

  • 9/30/2016
    • Todd Robinson, nominated 11/21/2019
  • 12/31/2017
    • Adam Braverman, nominated 10/17/2019
  • 2/6/2018
    • Knut Johnson, nominated 11/21/2019
  • 10/31/2018
    • Michelle Pettit, nominated 11/21/2019
  • 1/23/2019
    • Shireen Matthews, nominated 10/17/2019

Eastern District of Washington

4 judgeships

  • 4 active judges

Western District of Washington

7 judgeships

  • 3 active judges

4 current vacancies

  • 1/27/2016
  • 2/6/2016
  • 6/28/2016
  • 2/28/2019

1 future vacancy

  • 1/1/2020

District of Oregon

6 judgeships

  • 6 active judges

District of Nevada

7 judgeships

  • 5 active judges

2 current vacancies

  • 2/1/2016
  • 6/29/2018
    • Jennifer Togliatti, nominated 11/21/2019

District of Idaho

2 judgeships

  • 2 active judges

District of Montana

3 judgeships

  • 3 active judges

District of Arizona

13 judgeships

  • 11 active judges

2 current vacancies

  • 4/6/2018
    • Scott Rash, nominated 10/15/2019
  • 3/4/2019
    • John Hinderaker, nominated 12/2/2019

District of Alaska

3 judgeships

  • 2 active judges

1 current vacancy

  • 12/31/2015
    • Joshua Kindred, nominated 11/21/2019

District of Wyoming

3 judgeships

  • 3 active judges

District of Utah

5 judgeships

  • 5 active judges

0 current vacancies

District of Colorado

7 judgeships

  • 6 active judges

1 current vacancy

  • 3/3/2019

District of New Mexico

7 judgeships

  • 4 active judges

3 current vacancies

  • 2/7/2018
    • Kea Riggs, nominated 5/13/2019
      • ABA Rating: Sub. Maj. WQ/Min. Q, 1 Abstention
      • Hearing Date: 6/26/2019
      • Reported Out of Committee: 7/18/2019 (VV)
  • 7/25/2018
    • Kevin Sweazea, nominated 5/29/2019
      • ABA Rating: Well Qualified
  • 7/1/2019

District of Kansas

6 judgeships

  • 6 active judges

Eastern District of Oklahoma

1 judgeship

  • 1 active judge

Eastern, Northern, and Western Districts of Oklahoma

1 shared judgeship

  • 0 active judges

1 current vacancy

  • 8/1/2017
    • John Heil, nominated 12/2/2019

Northern District of Oklahoma

  • 4 judgeships
    • 4 active judges

Western District of Oklahoma

6 judgeships

  • 4 active judges

2 current vacancies

  • 11/5/2018
    • Jodi Dishman, nominated 9/9/2019
      • ABA Rating: WQ, 1 Abstention
      • Hearing Date: 7/25/2019
      • Reported Out of Committee: 10/31/19 (17-5)
  • 7/1/2019
    • Bernard Jones, nominated 10/17/2019

District of North Dakota

2 judgeships

  • 1 active judge

1 current vacancy

  • 11/10/2019
    • Daniel Traynor, nominated 9/19/2019

District of South Dakota

3 judgeships

  • 3 active judges

District of Nebraska

3 judgeships

  • 3 active judges

District of Minnesota

7 judgeships

  • 7 active judges

1 current vacancy

  • 10/15/2019

Northern District of Iowa

2 judgeships

  • 2 active judges

Southern District of Iowa

3 judgeships

  • 3 active judges

Eastern District of Missouri

9 judgeships

  • 9 active judges

0 current vacancies

1 future vacancy

  • 8/1/2020
    • Matthew Schlep, nominated 12/2/2019

Western District of Missouri

6 judgeships

  • 6 active judges

Eastern District of Arkansas

5 judgeships

  • 5 active judges

0 current vacancies

Western District of Arkansas

3 judgeships

  • 3 active judges

Eastern District of Texas

8 judgeships

  • 8 active judges

Northern District of Texas

12 judgeships

  • 12 active judges

0 current vacancies

Southern District of Texas

19 judgeships

  • 18 active judges

1 current vacancies

  • 7/5/2019

Western District of Texas

13 judgeships

  • 13 active judges

Eastern District of Louisiana

12 judgeships

  • 12 active judges

Middle District of Louisiana

3 judgeships

  • 3 active judges

Western District of Louisiana

7 judgeships

  • 6 active judges

1 current vacancy

  • 11/30/2017
    • Matthew Joseph, nominated 12/2/2019

Northern District of Mississippi

3 judgeships

  • 3 active judges

Southern District of Mississippi

6 judgeships

  • 4 active judges

2 current vacancies

  • 3/23/2018
    • Cory Wilson, nominated 10/15/2019
  • 4/30/2019

1 future vacancy

  • TBD

District of Hawaii

4 judgeships

  • 4 active judges

Eastern District of Michigan

15 judgeships

  • 14 active judges

1 current vacancy

  • 10/26/2016
    • Stephanie Davis, nominated 3/11/2019
      • ABA Rating: WQ
      • Hearing: 5/22/2019
      • Reported Out of Committee: 6/20/2019 (VV)

Western District of Michigan

4 judgeships

  • 3 active judges

1 current vacancy

  • 1/31/2017

Eastern District of Wisconsin

5 judgeships

  • 4 active judges

1 current vacancy

  • 2/5/2016

1 future vacancy

  • 12/31/2019

Western District of Wisconsin

2 judgeships

  • 2 active judges

Central District of Illinois

4 judgeships

  • 4 active judges

Northern District of Illinois

22 judgeships

  • 19 active judges

3 current vacancies

  • 2/17/2018
    • John Kness, nominated 6/24/19
  • 5/10/2019
  • 9/27/2019

Southern District of Illinois

4 judgeships

  • 2 active judges

2 current vacancies

  • 1/7/2019
  • 3/31/2019

Northern District of Indiana

5 judgeships

  • 5 active judges

1 future vacancy

  • 1/23/2021

Southern District of Indiana

5 judgeships

    • 5 active judges

Northern District of Ohio

11 judgeships

  • 10 active judges

1 current vacancy

  • 6/30/2019

1 future vacancy

  • 1/06/2020

Southern District of Ohio

8 judgeships

  • 6 active judges

2 current vacancies

  • 6/30/2017
    • Matthew McFarland, re-nominated 1/23/2019
      • Nominated: 11/3/2018
      • ABA Rating: Maj. Qualified/Min. Not Qualified
      • Hearing Date: 6/26/2019
      • Reported Out of Committee: 7/18/2019 (12-10)
  • 2/15/2019

Eastern and Western District of Kentucky

1 shared judgeship

  • 1 active judge

Eastern District of Kentucky

5 judgeships

  • 5 active judges

Western District of Kentucky

4 judgeships

  • 4 active judges

Eastern District of Tennessee

5 judgeships

  • 5 active judges

1 future vacancy

  • 3/10/2020

 

 

Middle District of Tennessee

4 judgeships

  • 4 active judges

Western District of Tennessee

5 judgeships

  • 5 active judges

Middle District of Alabama

3 judgeships

  • 3 active judges

0 current vacancies

1 future vacancy

  • TBD

Northern District of Alabama

8 judgeships

  • 8 active judges

1 future vacancy

  • 4/25/2020

Southern District of Alabama

3 judgeships

  • 3 active judges

Middle District of Georgia

4 judgeships

  • 4 active judges

Northern District of Georgia

11 judgeships

  • 11 active judges

Southern District of Georgia

3 judgeships

  • 3 active judges

Middle District of Florida

15 judgeships

  • 14 active judges

1 current vacancy

  • 12/14/2018

Northern District of Florida

4 judgeships

  • 4 active judges

Southern District of Florida

18 judgeships

  • 16 active judges

2 current vacancies

  • 8/5/2016
    • Anuraag Singhal, nominated 9/9/2019
      • ABA Rating: Maj. WQ/Min. Q
      • Hearing Date: 9/11/2019
      • Reported Out of Committee: 10/24/2019 (17-5)
  • 8/1/2017

District of South Carolina

10 judgeships

  • 9 active judges

1 current vacancy

  • 2/28/2019

Eastern District of North Carolina

4 judgeships

  • 4 active judges

0 current vacancies

 

Middle District of North Carolina

4 judgeships

  • 4 active judges

Western District of North Carolina

5 judgeships

  • 5 active judges

Eastern District of Virginia

11 judgeships

  • 10 active judges

1 current vacancy

  • 8/1/2019

1 future vacancy

  • 5/1/2020

 

 

Western District of Virginia

4 judgeships

  • 3 active judges

1 current vacancy

  • 12/11/2017

Northern District of West Virginia

3 judgeships

  • 3 active judges

Southern District of West Virginia

5 judgeships

  • 5 active judges

0 current vacancies

District of Maryland

10 judgeships

  • 10 active judges

District of Delaware

4 judgeships

  • 4 active judges

District of New Jersey

17 judgeships

  • 11 active judges

6 current vacancies

  • 2/10/2015
  • 3/6/2015
  • 5/31/2017
  • 6/14/2018
  • 11/2/2018
  • 5/16/2019

Eastern District of Pennsylvania

22 judgeships

  • 19 active judges

3 current vacancies

  • 9/28/2017
    • Karen Marston, nominated 9/9/2019
  • 7/17/2018
  • 10/9/2018
    • John Gallagher, nominated 10/15/2019
      • ABA Rating: Sub. Maj. WQ/Min. Q
      • Hearing Date: 10/16/2019
      • Reported Out of Committee: 11/7/2019 (18-4)

Middle District of Pennsylvania

6 judgeships

  • 6 active judges

0 current vacancies

Western District of Pennsylvania

10 judgeships

  • 7 active judges

3 current vacancies

  • 1/1/2018
    • Robert Colville, nominated 3/5/2019
      • ABA Rating: WQ
      • Hearing Date: No hearing held this Congress.
      • Reported Out of Committee: 5/9/2019 (14-8)
  • 6/13/2019
    • William Hardy, nominated 12/2/2019
  • 7/16/2019

Eastern District of New York

15 judgeships

  • 12 active judges

3 current vacancies

  • 1/21/2015
    • Gary Brown, re-nominated 5/21/2019
      • Nominated: 5/15/2019
      • ABA Rating: WQ (from prior nomination)
      • Hearing: prior nomination
      • Reported Out of Committee: 6/20/2019 (VV)
  • 3/9/2016
    • Diane Gujarati, re-nominated 5/21/2019
      • Nominated: 5/15/2018
      • ABA Rating: WQ (from prior nomination)
      • Hearing: 8/1/2018
      • Reported Out of Committee: 6/20/2019 (VV)
  • 5/8/2019

2 future vacancies

  • 6/12/2020
  • 1/26/2020

Northern District of New York

5 judgeships

  • 4 active judges

1 current vacancy

  • 1/1/2016

Southern District of New York

28 judgeships

  • 22 active judges

6 current vacancies

  • 8/1/2015
    • Lewis Litman, re-nominated 5/21/2019
      • Nominated: 5/15/2018
      • ABA Rating: WQ (from prior nomination)
      • Hearing: 8/1/2018
      • Reported Out of Committee: 6/20/2019 (15-7)
  • 3/1/2017
    • Mary Vyskocil, re-nominated 5/15/2019
      • Nominated: 5/15/2018
      • ABA Rating: WQ (from prior nomination)
      • Hearing: 8/1/2018
      • Reported Out of Committee: 6/20/2019 (21-1)
  • 8/5/2017
    • Philip Halpern, re-nominated 1/23/2019
      • Nominated: 11/13/2018
      • ABA Rating: WQ
      • Hearing Date: 10/30/2019
      • Reported Out of Committee: 11/22/2019 (17-5)
  • 3/1/2018
    • John Cronan, nominated 12/2/2019
  • 9/11/2018
    • Iris Lan, nominated 12/2/2019
  • 10/11/2018

Western District of New York

4 judgeships

  • 4 active judges

0 current vacancies

District of Connecticut

8 judgeships

  • 7 active judges

1 current vacancy

  • 8/31/2018
    • Barbara Jongbloed, nominated 10/15/2019

District of Massachusetts

13 judgeships

  • 11 active judges

2 current vacancies

  • 6/1/2015
  • 1/1/2018

District of Vermont

2 judgeships

  • 2 active judges

District of New Hampshire

3 judgeships

  • 3 active judges

District of Rhode Island

3 judgeships

  • 3 active judges

District of Maine

3 judgeships

  • 3 active judges

District of Puerto Rico

7 judgeships

  • 6 active judges

1 current vacancy

  • 9/30/2018
    • Silvia Carreno-Coll, nominated 10/15/2019

U.S. Virgin Islands

Judgeships for the District Court of the Virgin Islands are not Article III judgeships and therefore do not have life tenure.

 

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