Judiciary News
2014 Report Shows Fewer Debtors Filing for Bankruptcy, But More Repeat Filers
Published onJuly 21, 2015
Bankruptcy petitions filed by individuals with consumer debt were down in 2014 when compared with 2013; more individuals filed for bankruptcy protection under plans that included installment payments to creditors; and for more individuals, this wasn’t the first time they’d filed for bankruptcy in the last 8 years.
Two Senior Judges in Their Nineties Share Lifetime of Service
Published onJuly 16, 2015
As they enter their mid- to late-sixties, many in the U.S. workforce will look forward to retirement and the pursuit of other interests. When Judges Edward McManus and Don O’Brien in the Northern District of Iowa reached the ages of 65 and 69, respectively, they took senior status. But unlike the general workforce, they didn’t retire. Decades later, they’re still on the job.
Ten Years of Online Clerkship Hiring
Published onJuly 8, 2015
Ten years and approximately 9,000 clerkship position postings ago, the federal Judiciary launched the Online System for Clerkship Applications and Review, or OSCAR. The information and application system created a transparent online law clerk hiring process for applicants and law schools, while giving federal judges a way to communicate their hiring practices and timelines.
2014 Wiretap Report: Intercept Applications Down Slightly
Published onJuly 1, 2015
The number of federal and state wiretaps authorized in 2014 decreased 1 percent from 2013. The most serious offense under investigation in 89 percent of all applications for intercepts was illegal drugs.
Celebrating 50 Years of the Criminal Justice Act
Published onJune 25, 2015
A recent public symposium celebrated 50 years of the Criminal Justice Act with panels on the challenges, choices and commitments of federal defense efforts, and what can be learned from effective defense practices outside the United States.
Did You Know? Imprisonment Costs 8 times More Than Supervision
Published onJune 18, 2015
Community supervision of federal offenders continues to cost significantly less than incarceration, according to FY 2014 data provided by the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
CJA Study Committee Begins Accepting Comments
Published onJune 8, 2015
An Ad Hoc Committee to conduct a comprehensive and impartial review of the administration and operation of the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) has begun accepting public comments.
2014 Shows Better Use of Jurors in Federal Courts
Published onJune 4, 2015
The national average of jurors in federal district courts who were not selected, serving or challenged (NSSC) on the first day of jury service fell to 36.8 percent in 2014, compared to 37.7 percent in 2013. If you’re a potential juror, that’s very good news. It means 3,046 potential jurors were not called to the courthouse unnecessarily.
Redesign Saves Millions, Gets Courthouse Out of a Jam
Published onMay 28, 2015
For nearly 20 years, the federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland, has been overcrowded. In 1996, court officials requested an expansion, and Congress eventually authorized $10 million to design a large annex building.
Who’s Taking Care of the Jurors? Helping Jurors After Traumatic Trials
Published onMay 20, 2015
Jurors may spend weeks hearing disturbing testimony and viewing graphic evidence. Unable to talk with friends or family about the case, some jurors may experience what health care professionals call secondary trauma. Federal court judges are doing what they can to help jurors, even after the trial is over.
Judge Recalls 1985 Case That Still Shapes Students’ Rights
Published onMay 14, 2015
More than three decades after the Supreme Court’s landmark Fourth Amendment decision in New Jersey v. T.L.O., the public defender who represented the teen in the case explains how it still applies to students and school officials today.
New uscourts.gov Launched
Published onMay 11, 2015
The federal Judiciary’s website, uscourts.gov, has a fresh look, improved functionality, and webpages that adjust automatically for optimal use on all sizes and types of devices.
On Topic: Judge Burns Recalls Pioneering Career
Published onMay 7, 2015
U.S. District Judge Ellen Bree Burns, the longest-serving woman judge on the federal bench until she recently retired after 37 years, discusses her career in a newly released installment of “On Topic,” a U.S. Courts interview program
March 2015 Bankruptcy Filings Down 12 Percent
Published onApril 27, 2015
Bankruptcy filings for the 12-month period ending March 31, 2015, fell 12 percent when compared to bankruptcy filings for the 12-month period ending March 31, 2014, according to statistics released today by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
Law Day 2015: U.S. Courts Honor Magna Carta, Rule of Law Today
Published onApril 15, 2015
For federal courts, Law Day 2015 will be an opportunity to educate the public about the rule of law, inspired in part by the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, which established the principle that no man or government is above the law.