News and Announcements

Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., has named five new chairs of Judicial Conference committees and extended the term of five current chairs by one year.

Despite a federal government shutdown that began on Oct. 1, the Judiciary remains open and will continue paid operations through Friday, Oct. 17, by using court fee balances and other funds not dependent on a new appropriation.

The Judiciary’s funding shortfalls could get worse in the coming year, and the effects would be especially severe if federal courts must operate under another full-year continuing resolution, the Judiciary’s policy-making body was told.

Federal judges are introducing young people to the Judiciary and sparking their interest in a range of careers in the courts – beyond the roles of judges and lawyers – through a national initiative called Open Doors to Careers in the Courts. A new video shows the approach, which starts with students visiting courthouses to interact with court professionals and experience the job functions that keep the wheels of justice turning.

Four new U.S. Supreme Court Fellows are set to begin their 2025-2026 fellowships in September.

When U.S. District Judge Richard W. Story observed a nationwide trend showing that a troubling percentage of citizens are unaware of their rights and the role of the Judiciary, he decided to take action to address this civics deficit.

The federal Judiciary is taking additional steps to strengthen protections for sensitive case documents in response to recent escalated cyberattacks of a sophisticated and persistent nature on its case management system. The Judiciary is also further enhancing security of the system and to block future attacks, and it is prioritizing working with courts to mitigate the impact on litigants.

Personal and business bankruptcy filings rose 11.5 percent in the twelve-month period ending June 30, 2025, compared with the previous year.

The program that pays court-appointed private attorneys to represent indigent federal criminal defendants has run out of money, starting the clock on a painful three-month delay in paying these attorneys and their related service providers for constitutionally mandated legal work.

Federal and state courts reported a combined 9 percent increase in authorized wiretaps in 2024, compared with 2023, according to the Judiciary’s 2024 Wiretap Report.