Status of Magistrate Judge Positions and Appointments — Judicial Business 2022
During this fiscal year, 85 appointments of full-time magistrate judges were made, including 50 new appointments and 35 reappointments. Seven individuals were appointed to part-time magistrate judge positions, including one new appointment and six reappointments. In addition, 96 retired magistrate judges were recalled to service under 28 U.S.C. § 636(h).
The following information is provided pursuant to the reporting requirement of 28 U.S.C. § 604(d)(3). The average age of new appointees to full-time magistrate judge positions was 49 years. New full-time appointees had been members of the bar for an average of 22 years at the time of appointment. Of the new full-time magistrate judges, at the time of their appointments, 23 had been in private practice, 10 had been assistant United States attorneys, 4 had been general or senior counsel, 3 had been assistant federal public defenders, 2 had been administrative law judges, 2 had been state deputy attorneys general, 2 had been state assistant or district attorneys, 1 had been a part-time United States magistrate judge, 1 had been a state court judge, 1 had been an associate professor of law, and 1 had been a regional director for an executive branch agency.
Through September 2022, the Judicial Conference authorized 562 full-time magistrate judge positions, 25 part-time positions, and 2 combination clerk/magistrate judge positions.
For data on magistrate judge positions, see Table 12.
| Year | Total1 | Full Time | Part Time | Combination2 | Recalled Judges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 579 | 547 | 29 | 3 | 85 |
| 2019 | 581 | 549 | 29 | 3 | 90 |
| 2020 | 585 | 555 | 27 | 3 | 95 |
| 2021 | 588 | 561 | 25 | 2 | 85 |
| 2022 | 589 | 562 | 25 | 2 | 96 |
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2 According to 28 U.S.C. § 631(c), with the approval of the Judicial Conference, a clerk or deputy clerk of a court may be appointed as a part-time magistrate judge. |
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