Judiciary News
Judge Ada Brown Encourages People to Embrace Their Diversity
Published onNovember 22, 2021
Judge Ada Brown is the first woman of African American heritage to serve as a district judge in the Northern District of Texas, in the over 140-year history of the court. She also is one of just a handful of individuals with Native American ancestry to ever become a federal judge.
Just the Facts: Insurance Case Filings Spike After Natural Disasters
Published onNovember 16, 2021
In the U.S. district courts, filings of civil cases involving insurance typically have surged following weather catastrophes. Over the past 20 years, devastating hurricanes and severe floods have resulted in the Eastern District of Louisiana processing the most insurance cases of any district court.
Judge J. Clifford Wallace Honored for Advancing Rule of Law
Published onNovember 15, 2021
Judge J. Clifford Wallace, a federal judge who has advised judiciaries in more than 70 countries during his half-century on the bench, has been selected to receive the 2022 Susan and Carl Bolch Jr. Prize for the Rule of Law. He will be honored during a ceremony in San Diego on March 18, 2022.
Veterans of the Law: Many in Judiciary Celebrate JAG Service
Published onNovember 10, 2021
As America honors Veterans Day, many federal judges have a special link to the Judge Advocate General’s Corps — better known to many as JAG. Four judges and a senior Judiciary leader recall their experiences as military lawyers.
Bankruptcy Filings Continue to Fall Sharply
Published onNovember 8, 2021
Personal and business bankruptcy filings fell 29.1 percent for the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, 2021. A steady decline in filings has continued since the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis began.
Judiciary Takes Action to Ensure High Ethical Standards and Transparency
Published onOctober 26, 2021
Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod testified before a House subcommittee today to describe judges’ recusal standards and case conflict screening process that help judges maintain high ethical standards.
Chief Justice Names Conference Committee Chairs
Published onOctober 14, 2021
Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., has named five new chairs of Judicial Conference committees and extended the term of four current chairs by one year. The appointments took effect on Oct. 1, 2021.
Judiciary Launches Vulnerability Disclosure Program
Published onOctober 13, 2021
The federal Judiciary has unveiled a new Vulnerability Disclosure Policy to ensure the security of data that can be accessed online. The policy gives security researchers clear guidelines on how they may conduct vulnerability discovery activities. It also instructs researchers on how to submit discovered vulnerabilities to the Judiciary.
Federal Defender Committed to Improving Hispanic Representation in the Legal Field
Published onOctober 7, 2021
Cuauhtemoc Ortega grew up in the working-class neighborhood of La Puente in Los Angeles County, where people he knew sometimes struggled through negative encounters with law enforcement and immigration officials. Now, he leads the Federal Public Defender’s Office representing La Puente and the greater Los Angeles area.
Judge Julia Gibbons Receives 2021 Devitt Award
Published onOctober 7, 2021
Judge Julia Smith Gibbons, former budget chair for the U.S. Judicial Conference who was a pioneering woman judge in her home state of Tennessee, is the recipient of the 2021 Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award. Gibbons serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Judiciary Supplements Judgeship Request, Prioritizes Courthouse Projects
Published onSeptember 28, 2021
The Judiciary’s policy-making body today recommended that Congress create new judgeships because of a rapid and substantial rise in felony prosecutions in two districts.
Collins Fitzpatrick, Longest-Serving Circuit Executive, Reflects on Career
Published onSeptember 24, 2021
On Sept. 28, Collins Fitzpatrick will retire as Circuit Executive of the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, after 50 years of service in the federal Judiciary. In 1976, Fitzpatrick was appointed as the Seventh Circuit’s first executive, five years after Congress created the position. He is by far the longest-serving circuit executive in the federal court system.
Judges and Lawyers Engage Students in Conversations About the Constitution
Published onSeptember 23, 2021
More than 550 students at South Florida high schools engaged in a day of candid conversations with federal judges and attorneys about the Constitution, civil discourse, and solid decision-making skills in the law and in teens’ lives. The event was part of a monthlong national celebration of the signing of the U.S. Constitution.
What is Judicial Impartiality? Judges Explain How They Apply the Law
Published onSeptember 14, 2021
How do federal judges have an impact on individual rights every day, even for people who may never enter a courtroom? Ten federal judges answer the question in the new video “Court Shorts: A Fair and Impartial Judiciary,” produced in celebration of Constitution Day, on Sept. 17, discussing their commitment to impartiality, the Constitution, and the rule of law.
Comments Invited on Regulations for Bankruptcy Trustee Payments
Published onAugust 30, 2021
The bench, bar, and public have been asked to provide comments on proposed interim regulations for the administration of a new payment for trustees serving in Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases under the Bankruptcy Administration Improvement Act of 2020. The comment period runs from Aug. 30, 2021 to Sept. 17, 2021.