Judiciary News
Gavel Passes to New Chief Judge in the Central District of California
Published onOctober 4, 2012
A gavel changed hands in the Central District of California last week as the district welcomed its new chief judge.
New Term Starts at United States Supreme Court
Published onOctober 1, 2012
By law, the Supreme Court of the United States starts its new term the first Monday in October -- a practice that has occurred for nearly 100 years.
Montana Courthouse Dedicated
Published onSeptember 27, 2012
A new federal courthouse was dedicated last month in downtown Billings, Montana. The District of Montana’s court family, guests, and invited speaker, Administrative Office Director Judge Thomas Hogan officially opened the courthouse, which replaces an aging facility with significant security and asbestos problems.
Legislation to Realign Divisions Passes Congress
Published onSeptember 25, 2012
Congress has passed and the President is expected to sign into law, H.R. 5512, the Divisional Realignment Act of 2012. The legislation, introduced in May, realigns divisions in the U.S. District Courts in the Eastern District of Missouri and the Northern District of Mississippi.
Fellowship Programs Help Students Grow
Published onSeptember 18, 2012
Two programs organized each summer by the U.S. District Court for the District Massachusetts teach Boston area high school and college students about the federal judiciary. In the process, the students are helped to discover their own potential.
Judiciary Continues Cost Savings, Closes Court Facilities
Published onSeptember 11, 2012
The Judicial Conference of the United States today agreed to close six non-resident federal court facilities—the latest in a series of cost-cutting measures implemented by the federal Judiciary’s national policy-making body.
Program Speeds Civil Litigation in Western District of Pennsylvania
Published onSeptember 6, 2012
On August 30, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania held a town hall in Pittsburgh, PA, introducing attorneys to a new pilot program aimed at expediting the relatively simple cases on the court’s civil docket.
Federal Courts Improve Use of Jurors
Published onAugust 31, 2012
The federal courts continue to improve their juror utilization rates, which in turn has led to savings for the Judiciary of nearly $300,000.
2011 Report Details Consumer Bankruptcy Filings
Published onAugust 27, 2012
A 2011 statistical report on debtors with primarily consumer debt filing for bankruptcy shows an 11 percent drop in case filings, a 23 percent drop in filer assets, 25 percent drop in filer liabilities and a 28 percent incidence of repeat filers.
Tropical Storm Isaac Closes Courthouses in the Gulf Region
Published onAugust 27, 2012
UPDATED: August 30, 2012 at 12:00 p.m. – In the Southern District of Alabama, the federal courthouse will be closed Wednesday, August 29, 2012, due to the effects from Tropical Storm Isaac. Normal operations will resume on Thursday, August 30, 2012.
Revised Jury Instructions Hope to Deter Juror Use of Social Media During Trial
Published onAugust 21, 2012
A Judicial Conference Committee has updated the model set of jury instructions federal judges use to deter jurors from using social media to research or communicate about cases on which they serve.
Public Comment Period and Revamped Website Open
Published onAugust 16, 2012
The public comment period has opened for several proposed amendments to the Federal Rules of Practice and Procedure, which govern litigation in the federal courts. The comment period closes February 15, 2013.
Webinars Ease Law Clerk Application Process
Published onAugust 14, 2012
Law schools are looking ahead to another law clerk hiring season. Just in time, a series of informational webinars hosted by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts are bringing them up to speed on the federal Judiciary’s Online System for Clerkship Application and Review, or OSCAR.
Topeka Federal Courthouse in Energy-Reduction Race
Published onAugust 9, 2012
The Frank Carlson Federal Building and Courthouse in Topeka, Kansas is in an energy race with seven other finalists nationwide. The contestants—federal buildings that include a military exchange, a research facility and an office building—vie to consume the least amount of energy this fiscal year and win the Better Buildings Federal Award.
Linked Systems Automate Petty Offense Case Management for First Time
Published onAugust 7, 2012
In July, the District of Maryland was the first court to throw away the paper in processing petty offenses, linking their Case Management/Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) system with the Central Violations Bureau (CVB), the national center charged with processing citations issued and payments received for petty offenses committed on federal property.