News and Announcements

The Judiciary will remain open for business through October 18, 2013. When no funding mechanism was in place on October 1, 2013, the Judiciary projected that fee income and no-year appropriated funds would enable court operations to continue for ten business days.

The federal courts may be open during the government shutdown, but it’s far from “business as usual.” According to a Department of Justice memo, U.S. Attorneys across the country have been directed to “curtail or postpone” civil litigation.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. has named five new Judicial Conference committee chairs and extended the terms of four current Conference committee chairs. The new appointments became effective October 1, 2013.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada will hold a CLE seminar on its new short trial pilot program on October 9. The pilot promises an expedited trial —both early and short—in civil cases. Short trial rules (pdf) control the length of the trial, including restrictions on discovery, the use of smaller juries, and time limits for presentation of evidence.

Following a government shutdown on October 1, 2013, the federal Judiciary will remain open for business for approximately 10 business days. On or around October 15, 2013, the Judiciary will reassess its situation and provide further guidance.

A federal Judiciary study of early termination of supervision of low-risk offenders shows that the practice not only saves money, it does so without compromising public safety.

Judge Thomas F. Hogan was recently honored by the Judicial Conference of the United States for his distinguished service to the federal judiciary.

The chair of the Judicial Conference Criminal Law Committee has written in support of Congress’s efforts “to review and ameliorate the deleterious and unwanted consequences spawned by mandatory minimum sentencing provisions.”

At its biannual meeting, the Judicial Conference approved the latest in a series of cost-cutting measures. Conference actions continue the Judiciary's decade-long cost-containment efforts that have become increasingly aggressive as sequestration triggered broad cuts in court staff and programs.

In a September 10 letter, the Judiciary has appealed to President Obama for the funding necessary in fiscal year 2014 to perform its essential constitutional functions. Without it, the federal courts face additional reductions in staff and services that will severely affect individuals and businesses seeking to resolve disputes.