July 2010

Deferred Associates Find Unexpected Opportunities in Federal Courts

Belt-tightening among law firms brought deferred law associates to clerkships in federal courts —a match-up that has proven beneficial for both.

Examining the State of Civil Litigation

A major civil litigation conference, and changes to Rules 26 and 56 have meant a busy year for the Judicial Conference Advisory Committee on Civil Rules.  Judge Mark Kravitz talks about what has changed.

Eastern District of California Swamped by Prisoner Lawsuits

Prisoner petitions constitute nearly 54 percent of the Eastern District of California’s caseload—far exceeding a district’s more typical 10 percent. Here’s how the district copes.

Raising the Red Flag Improves Supervision

Thanks to newly developed software, when a red flag pops up on a computer screen next to the name of an offender due to be released by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), probation officers investigate.

Rule of Law Program Brings Federal Judge to Iraq

Chief Judge Edith Jones (5th Cir.) found Iraq to be a country eager to modernize its legal system and learn from the U.S. legal community.

Judgeships Needed Despite Court Efficiencies

New legal and operational requirements combined with filing increases over the past five-year period have created an extraordinary roller-coaster ride for the bankruptcy courts – and exacerbated the need for new bankruptcy judgeships.

BAPCPA Report Looks at Filers in Non-business Bankruptcies

The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act requires bankruptcy courts to compile a number of statistics on the 1.4 million individuals filing non-business bankruptcy petitions. The 2009 statistics are now available. Interactive Map: Bankruptcy Report Statistics by Judicial District

Judicial Milestones

Judicial Boxscore

The Third Branch - July 2010 (pdf)

View an interactive PDF of this month's The Third Branch.