Federal Judges Are Retiring Now That Joe Biden Will Pick Their Replacements

[brooklynite]

Source: Huffington Post

For at least one federal judge, it appeared that President Joe Biden couldn’t be sworn in fast enough.

“It has been my honor to serve,” U.S. District Judge Victoria Roberts wrote to Biden on Inauguration Day, roughly 90 minutes after he took office, announcing her plans to step down. “With respect, I congratulate you on your election as the 46th President of the United States, and Kamala Harris on her election as Vice President.”

...snip...

Roberts is one of five federal judges with lifetime appointments who have announced plans to retire or semi-retire since last Wednesday, the day Donald Trump left the White House, according to data provided by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. That’s after eight judges had already announced their plans to step down since Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election.

The retirements keep coming. On Tuesday, two more U.S. district judges announced their plans to take senior status, though their names aren’t yet listed on the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts’ website. And there are likely others in the queue with similar plans.

Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/federal-judges-retire-joe-biden_n_600f3759c5b676ad837652a8

[elleng]

1. Good. C. Schumer mentioned this likelihood,

in his interview with Rachel.

[BigmanPigman]

7. Did you watch that show?

On a separate issue, do you recall what Schumer told Rachel Maddow about balancing the SCOTUS? I thought he said that Biden has some sort of commission and they are making a report that will be released later this week and at that time he will decide what to do with balancing the court. My YouTube app isn't working and I can't look this up.

[elleng]

8. As I recall, a commission is being established;

NO WAY a report will be released this week (imo.)

[BigmanPigman]

9. Ok, thanks!

[oldsoftie]

14. I doubt that'll happen with the current numbers.

The Senate wont give 50 votes on the SCOTUS from what i've read. Manchin, Sinema & a couple others are not in favor.

[BigmanPigman]

16. Are there other ways to get it balanced?

What would Mitch do to get it done? We need to act like the GOP has for the past 20 years and do whatever we can while we are a slim majority.

[lastlib]

18. Personally, I like the idea of a National Court of Appeals......

Pack it with 25 good young progressive judges. All appeals from lower courts come here. Strip the Supreme Court of all of its appellate jurisdiction, and leave it with only its constitutional original jurisdiction. Clarence PubicHair can take all the naps he wants, Justice BeerBoy can stay hung-over forever, and the rest of us get justice.

[BigmanPigman]

21. Sounds like a good plan to me.

Schumer is smart, he must have this idea as an option, don't you think?

[oldsoftie]

24. And now you're talking about changing the Constitution. Not gonna happen.

And I dont think it should. Remember, anything you think is a great idea could also be used by republicans if they get the majority again. And they will, one day. Neither side ever believes they'll be in the minority again when they win.

[lastlib]

27. No Constitutional change is required.

Congress establishes courts below the SCOTUS. Congress establishes jurisdiction of all courts except SCOTUS's original jurisdiction--this plan wouldn't disturb that.

[oldsoftie]

28. But Constitutionally the SCOTUS remains the final word.

So what good is it
A new type of court below it would'nt mean anything but just another step in a process thats already long enough.

[rsdsharp]

29. It's not realistic. 25 judges to handle every appeal of right

in the United States federal system? There are 29 judges in the Ninth Circuit alone. The Supreme Court picks and chooses the cases it takes. It averages 100-150 cases per year.

You’re suggesting less than three times the number of judges handle thousands of cases annually. It’s simply not possible, even if Congress was foolish enough to adopt it.

[marble falls]

2. That's actually a pretty amazing thing.

[Aristus]

3. Choose some young, strong, healthy, smart, dedicated judges, Mr. President.

[Denvermosaic]

4. Progressive ones

[Aristus]

5. Very much so.

Welcome to DU.

[lastlib]

19. (that comes under the "smart" requirement......)

[Lonestarblue]

6. These are probably progressive judges.

We still need to expand the number of appellate court judges and appoint judges who care about the law rather than white privilege.

[lastlib]

20. See #18.

[eTXwLA]

25. Packing the courts always has to be a main goal for any political party.

[NCjack]

10. Sen. Maj. Leader Schumer, please get the judges replaced ASAP, even if

that requires hearings on Saturdays and Sundays.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Durbin is poised to take over the Judicary Committee who will handle the confirmations

As Democrats take control of Senate, these 10 senators will shape the agenda

Dylan Stableford and Kate Murphy
Tue, January 26, 2021, 4:24 PM

(snip)

Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Senate Judiciary Committee




Durbin took over as the Judiciary Committee’s top Democrat last month after Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., its ranking remember, announced she would relinquish her post. Feinstein, who is 87, faced fierce criticism over what many fellow Democrats thought was her failure to aggressively challenge Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett during her confirmation hearings.

And while he is not yet officially the Judiciary Committee chair, Durbin — who also serves as the Democratic whip — wasted no time in flexing the party’s newfound muscle this week when he sent a letter demanding that the Justice Department “preserve and produce all relevant materials” related to its “role in Trump’s scheme to overturn the election.”

“The Senate Judiciary Committee will conduct vigorous oversight of these matters," Durbin wrote in the letter, which was addressed to acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson. “As a first step, we seek your immediate assurance that the Department will preserve all relevant materials in its possession, custody, or control.”

https://news.yahoo.com/senate-chair-committee-leaders-democrats-control-congress-212401248.html

[FBaggins]

12. If only RBG could have been one of them. nt

[pazzyanne]

15. + 1

She tried so hard to make it to dht leaving office. She has been and continues to be my favorite Supreme Court Justice! Thank you, RBG, for all you did. You will be remembered -

[Takket]

13. RBG should have been one of them :( You know she didn't want to die before Jan 20th

[Firebrand Gary]

17. PACK. THE. COURTS.

NT

[TomVilmer]

22. Mitch McConnell: A week is way too close to the election!

[DeminPennswoods]

23. There was a report during Biden's transition

that he had asked his transition team to prepare a list of judges ready to go upon his inauguration.