The big update this week, of course, is President Trump’s nomination on Monday of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. President Trump’s nomination of Judge Kavanaugh also creates a new known future vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
Earlier this week the Senate confirmed Mark Bennett, President Trump’s nominee to the Ninth Circuit from Hawaii. Bennett’s confirmation marks the 22nd federal circuit court judge confirmed during President Trump’s administration, tying President George H.W. Bush’s record for most circuit judges confirmed in the first two years of a presidency.
Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the nomination of Ryan Nelson from Idaho, another of President Trump’s nominees to the Ninth Circuit.
Here is this week’s update on federal judicial nominations:
Current and known future vacancies: 184
Supreme Court: 1
Courts of Appeals: 22
District/Specialty Courts*: 160
Pending nominees for current and known future vacancies: 94
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 | 91 | No | Not yet scheduled |
| Richard Sullivan (2nd) | 5/7/2018 | 66 | No | Not yet scheduled |
| Jonathan Kobes (8th) | 6/11/2018 | 31 | Yes | Not yet scheduled |
| Eric Murphy (6th) | 6/18/2018 | 24 | No | Not yet scheduled |
| Chad Readler (6th) | 6/18/2018 | 24 | No | Not yet scheduled |
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 | 91 | 5/23/2018 |
| David Porter (3rd) | 4/12/2018 | 91 | 6/6/2018 |
| Jay Richardson (4th) | 5/7/2018 | 66 | 6/20/2018 |
| Marvin Quattlebaum (4th) | 5/7/2018 | 66 | 6/20/2018 |
| Ryan Nelson (9th) | 5/15/2018 | 58 | 7/11/2018 |
Court of Appeals Nominees Awaiting Senate Floor Votes
| Nominee (Circuit) | Nomination Date | Days Pending | Date Reported to Senate Floor |
| Andrew Oldham (5th) | 2/15/2018 | 147 | 5/24/2018 |
| Ryan Bounds (9th) | 9/7/2017 | 308 | 6/7/2018 |
Nominees Awaiting Floor Votes: 49
Courts of Appeals: 2
District/Specialty Courts: 47
Nominees Confirmed by the Senate: 43
Supreme Court: 1
Courts of Appeals: 22
District/Specialty Courts: 20