This Wednesday, the Senate Judiciary Committee will be holding a hearing for two of President Trump’s nominees to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, Jay Richardsonand Marvin Quattlebaum. Last Thursday, the Committee advanced two of the President’s district court nominees to the Senate Floor, bringing the total number of judicial nominees awaiting confirmation votes from the full Senate to 45. Recently, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that he was canceling the Senate’s August recess, in part “to make additional progress on the president’s nominees.” In light of the ever-increasing number of nominees awaiting confirmation votes, I applaud Leader McConnell’s decision.
Current and known future vacancies: 177
Courts of Appeals: 22
District/Specialty Courts*: 155
Courts of Appeals: 13
District/Specialty Courts: 81
* Includes the Court of Federal Claims and the International Trade Court
Court of Appeals Nominees Awaiting Senate Judiciary Committee Hearings
Nominee (Circuit) | Nomination Date | Days Pending | Both Blue Slips Returned? | Judiciary Committee Hearing Date |
Paul Matey (3rd) | 4/12/2018 | 67 | No | Not yet scheduled |
Richard Sullivan (2nd) | 5/7/2018 | 42 | No | Not yet scheduled |
Jay Richardson (4th) | 5/7/2018 | 42 | Yes | 6/20/2018 |
Marvin Quattlebaum (4th) | 5/7/2018 | 42 | Yes | 6/20/2018 |
Ryan Nelson (9th) | 5/15/2018 | 34 | Yes | Not yet scheduled |
Jonathan Kobes (8th) | 6/11/2018 | 7 | Yes | Not yet scheduled |
Eric Murphy (6th) | Pending** | N/A | N/A | Not yet scheduled |
Chad Readler (6th) | Pending** | N/A | N/A | Not yet scheduled |
**Nomination currently pending receipt in the Senate, which will trigger official nomination date.
Court of Appeals Nominees Awaiting Senate Judiciary Committee Votes
Nominee (Circuit) | Nomination Date | Days Pending | Judiciary Committee Hearing Date |
Britt Grant (11th) | 4/12/2018 | 67 | 5/23/2018 |
David Porter (3rd) | 4/12/2018 | 67 | 6/6/2018 |
Court of Appeals Nominees Awaiting Senate Floor Votes
Nominee (Circuit) | Nomination Date | Days Pending | Date Reported to Senate Floor |
Mark Bennett (9th) | 2/15/2018 | 123 | 5/10/2018 |
Andrew Oldham (5th) | 2/15/2018 | 123 | 5/24/2018 |
Ryan Bounds (9th) | 9/7/2017 | 284 | 6/7/2018 |
Nominees Awaiting Floor Votes: 45
Courts of Appeals: 3
Nominees Confirmed by the Senate: 42
Supreme Court: 1
Courts of Appeals: 21
District/Specialty Courts: 20