Nominations to Article III Lower Courts by President George W. Bush During the 110th Congress

^Pr^ep^ar^{ed f}^o^r^M^e^m^b^ers^an^d^Com^mⁱ^t^t^ees^of^C^ong^r^e^ss

This report tracks nominations made by President George W. Bush to judgeships on the U.S.
courts of appeals, the U.S. district courts, and the U.S. Court of International Trade—the lower
courts on which, pursuant to Article III of the Constitution, judges serve “during good ^th
Behaviour.” It lists and keeps count of all nominations made to these courts during the 110
Congress, including pertinent actions taken by the Senate Judiciary Committee and the full
Senate. It also tracks the number of judicial vacancies on the courts (including vacancies
classified by the federal judiciary as “judicial emergencies”), the number of nominations pending
to fill the vacancies, and the names of the pending nominees. It presents the number of persons
nominated by President Bush to each category of lower Article III court during his entire
presidency (breaking down each total to show the number confirmed, pending, returned and not
re-nominated, and withdrawn). Last, it provides tabular and graphical comparisons of President
Bush’s lower court nominee statistics with those of the four Presidents who immediately preceded
him.
As of October 20, 2008:
• ^●President Bush had nominated 23 individuals to the U.S. courts of appeals ^th
during the 110 Congress, with the Senate having confirmed 10 of them, and
with 3 withdrawn by the President.
• President Bush had nominated 79 individuals to the U.S. district courts during the ^th
110 Congress, with the Senate having confirmed 58 of them, and with 1
withdrawn by the President.
• There were 11 judicial vacancies on the U.S. courts of appeals, with 10
nominations pending to fill these vacancies.
• There were 25 U.S. district court vacancies, with 16 nominations pending to fill
these judgeships, and an additional 4 nominations pending to fill future district
court vacancies.
• No vacancies had occurred on the U.S. Court of International Trade during the ^th
110 Congress (and thus no nominations have been made to the court during the
Congress).
During the entire presidency of George W. Bush (from January 20, 2001, to October 20, 2008),
there have been 373 nominees to Article III lower court judgeships. Of the 373 total nominees, 30
are pending, 324 have received Senate confirmation, 9 have been returned to the President in a
previous Congress and not resubmitted, and 10 have been withdrawn by the President and not
resubmitted.
For corresponding information about President Bush’s appeals and district court nominations
during earlier Congresses, see CRS Report RL31868, U.S. Circuit and District Court ^th^th
Nominations by President George W. Bush During the 107-109 Congresses, by Denis Steven
Rutkus, Kevin M. Scott, and Maureen Bearden.
This report will be updated to record new actions by President Bush, the Senate Judiciary
Committee, or the Senate involving Article III lower court nominations.

Introduc tion ..................................................................................................................................... 1
The Article III Lower Courts.....................................................................................................1
Judicial Nomination Data Tracked............................................................................................3
Judicial Nomination Tables for the 110^th Congress.........................................................................3
Figure 1. Average Number of Days From First Nomination to Final Senate Action,
Nominees to the U.S. Courts of Appeals, January 20, 1977-October 20, 2008.........................17
Figure 2. Average Number of Days from First Nomination to Final Senate Action,
Nominees to the Article III U.S. District Courts, January 20, 1977-October 20, 2008..............18
Table 1. Vacancies in Article III Lower Court Judgeships..............................................................4
Table 2. Pending Nominations to the U.S. Courts of Appeals, District Courts, and Court ^th
of International Trade in the 110 Congress................................................................................5
Table 3. President George W. Bush’s Nominations to the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals ^th
During the 110 Congress............................................................................................................8
Table 4. President George W. Bush’s Nominations to the U.S. District Courts During the ^th
110 Congress............................................................................................................................10
Table 5. President George W. Bush’s Nominations to the U.S. Court of International ^th
Trade During the 110 Congress................................................................................................14
Table 6. President George W. Bush’s Nominees to Article III Lower Courts: A Numerical
Breakdown According to Status of Their Most Recent Nomination..........................................15
Table 7. Article III U.S. District Courts and Courts of Appeals: Number of Nominees,
Number Confirmed, and Percent of Nominees Confirmed, Five Most Recent Presidents........16
Appendix. The Appointment Process for Nominations to Article III Judgeships.........................20
Author Contact Information..........................................................................................................22

Under Article III of the Constitution of the United States, the appointment of individuals to
lifetime positions on the lower federal courts (the U.S. courts of appeals, U.S. district courts, and ¹
U.S. Court of International Trade) requires Senate confirmation. In recent years, Congress has
expressed increasing interest in the nomination and confirmation process for lower federal court ²^th
judges. During the 110 Congress, the number of lower court nominations by President George
W. Bush that have been confirmed or were likely to be confirmed has been a subject of ³
continuing Senate interest.
To provide Congress with a current overview of the lower court appointment process, this report
tracks the status of certain lower court nominations made by President George W. Bush during the ^th
110 Congress. The report deals primarily with nominations to lower Article III courts (those
courts on which judges serve “during good Behaviour”), while also accounting for infrequent
nominations to the small number of territorial district judgeships, which have fixed-term ⁴
appointments.
Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution provides, in part, that the “judicial Power of the United
States shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may
from time to time ordain and establish.” It further provides that justices on the Supreme Court and
judges on lower courts established by Congress under Article III have what effectively has come ⁵
to mean life tenure, holding their office “during good Behaviour.” By contrast, judges in various
federal courts established by Congress under Article I of the Constitution are appointed for fixed ⁶
terms. Along with the Supreme Court, the courts that constitute the Article III courts in the

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⁽^c^onti^nue^d.^..)

federal judicial system are the U.S. courts of appeals, the U.S. district courts, and the U.S. Court
of International Trade. The following are thumbnail descriptions of each of the lower Article III
courts:
These courts take appeals from federal trial court decisions and are empowered to review the
decisions of many administrative agencies. Cases presented to these courts are generally
considered by judges sitting in three-member panels. Altogether, 178 permanent appellate court ⁷
judgeships are authorized by law. Courts within the courts of appeals system are often called
“circuit courts,” because they are divided into 12 geographic circuits and an additional nationwide
circuit, the Federal Circuit, which has specialized subject matter jurisdiction. In this report,
nominations to U.S. courts of appeals judgeships are, at various points, also referred to as “circuit
court nominations.”
These are the trial courts of general federal jurisdiction. Each state has at least one district court,
while some states have as many as four. There are 674 district court judgeships authorized by law, ⁸
including those for the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
This court has original and exclusive jurisdiction over civil actions against the United States, its
agencies and officers, and certain civil actions brought by the United States arising out of import
transactions and federal statutes affecting international trade. The court is composed of nine
judges, no more than five of whom may belong to one political party.
Congress also has established district courts in the territories of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands,
and the Northern Mariana Islands. Like the U.S. district courts, the territorial courts are trial
courts of general federal jurisdiction, while also having jurisdiction over many local matters that,
within the 50 states, are handled in state courts. Because they are trial courts of general federal ⁹
jurisdiction, whose rulings may be appealed to a U.S. court of appeals, the territorial courts can

^(...c^on^tin^ue^d)
^t^eⁿ^u^r^{e i}ⁿ^t^h^{ese cou}^r^t^s^.
⁷^Oⁿ^J^a^nua^r^y^{7, 2}⁰⁰⁸^,^Pr^e^s^ideⁿ^{t G}^e^or^g^e^W^.^B^u^s^h^sⁱ^gⁿ^e^d^H^.^R^.⁶⁶^0,^t^h^e^C^our^{t Se}^c^u^r^ity^I^m^pr^ov^em^eⁿ^{t A}^c^{t o}^f²⁰⁰^{7 (}^P^.L^.
¹¹⁰^-⁷^7,¹²¹^Sta^t^.²⁵³⁴⁾^.^A^m^ong^othe^r^t^h^ing^s^{, t}^h^e^a^c^t^de^c^r^e^a^s^e^d^the^num^be^r^of^judg^e^s^hipsⁱⁿ^the^D^.^C^.^Cⁱ^r^c^{uit C}^our^t^of
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^of^A^ppe^a^l^s^f^r^o^m^{28 t}^o²⁹^{. A}^c^c^o^r^d^ing^l^y^,^the^r^e^a^r^e^{178 j}^udg^e^s^hips^on^the^c^o^ur^ts^of^a^ppe^a^l^s^uⁿ^til^J^a^nua^r^y^{21, 20}^09,^w^h^eⁿ^,
^ba^rring^aⁿ^y^othe^{r a}^d^j^u^stm^e^{nt, tha}^t^num^be^{r w}^{ill rise}^{to 1}⁷⁹^.
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ⁿ^u^m^b^e^{r o}^f^y^ears,^{a j}^u^d^g^eshⁱ^pⁱⁿ^t^h^{e d}ⁱ^st^ri^ctⁱ^s^vacat^ed^).
⁹^Deci^si^oⁿ^s^o^f^t^h^{e U.}^S^.^Di^st^ri^ct^C^o^u^r^t^s^f^o^{r t}^h^{e Di}^st^ri^ct^o^f^G^u^a^m^an^d^t^h^{e Di}^st^ri^ct^o^f^t^h^{e No}^r^t^h^e^{rn M}^a^ri^aⁿ^{a Isl}^aⁿ^d^s^are
^ap^p^eal^ed^t^o^t^h^{e Ni}ⁿ^t^{h Ci}^rcuⁱ^t^Court^o^f^A^p^p^eal^s.^Deci^si^oⁿ^s^o^f^t^h^{e U.}^S^.^Di^st^ri^ct^C^o^u^r^t^f^o^{r t}^h^{e Di}^st^ri^ct^of^Vⁱ^rgiⁿ^Isl^aⁿ^d^s
^{are ap}^p^eal^ed^t^o^t^h^{e T}^hⁱ^r^{d Ci}^rcuⁱ^t^Co^u^r^t^o^f^A^p^p^eal^s.

be viewed as a category of court falling within the federal district court system.¹⁰ Territorial
courts, however, are not Article III courts, and judicial appointees to these courts serve 10-year
terms, with one judgeship each in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, and two in the Virgin
Islands.
This report lists and keeps count of all nominations made to the above-discussed courts during the ^th
110 Congress, including certain actions taken on these nominations by the Senate Judiciary
Committee and the full Senate. The report also provides statistics for all of the nominations that ^th
President Bush has made to these courts during his entire presidency, starting with the 107 ^th
Congress in January 2001 and carrying through to the present. (Thus far in the 110 Congress, no
nominations have been made either to the U.S. Court of International Trade or to the territorial
district courts, although President Bush made, and the Senate confirmed, nominations to these
courts during previous Congresses.)
In the following pages, President Bush’s nominations to the lower Article III courts are listed or
counted in Tables 1 through 6. Some of these tables, where noted, also keep track of nominations
made to the territorial courts. The Appendix provides a brief textual overview of the principal
steps in the process for appointing lower court judges.

Table 1. is a judicial vacancy table. For each type of Article III lower court—circuit, district, and
Court of International Trade—it shows the number of judgeships vacant as of the date listed, as
well as the number of nominations pending to fill those judgeships. Table 1. also displays the
number of nominations pending to fill “future vacancies,” which occur when judges in active
service announce their retirement to occur on a date that has not yet been reached or when a judge
in active service indicates a plan to retire or take senior status upon the confirmation of a
successor.
In addition, Table 1. shows how many of these vacancies are classified by the federal judiciary as
“judicial emergencies.” For the courts of appeals, a judicial emergency is any vacancy in a circuit
where there are more than 700 adjusted filings per panel, or any vacancy in a circuit that has ¹¹
existed for more than 18 months and where adjusted filings are between 500 to 700 per panel.
For a district court, a judicial emergency is any vacancy in a district where weighted filings
exceed 600 per judgeship, or any vacancy in existence more than 18 months where weighted

¹⁰^F^o^{r i}ⁿ^st^an^ce,^t^h^{e f}^e^d^e^ral^j^u^dⁱ^ci^ar^y^su^b^s^u^m^{es t}^e^rri^t^o^ri^al^co^u^r^t^s^uⁿ^d^e^{r t}^h^{e h}^eadⁱⁿ^{g o}^f^“Di^s^t^rⁱ^c^t^Co^u^r^t^s^{” i}ⁿ^vari^o^u^s^p^l^aces
^oⁿⁱ^t^{s w}^e^b^s^{ite, at h}^ttp^://w^ww^.u^sco^u^rts.g^o^v^.^In^oⁿ^e^lin^k^oⁿ^t^h^{e w}^e^b^s^{ite, en}^titled^“A^u^t^h^o^r^ized^J^u^d^g^eshⁱ^p^s^{,” accessed}^vⁱ^a
^http:^//www^.usc^ourts.g^ov^/ju^dicⁱ^a^l^v^a^c^.^ht^m^l^{, the}^ju^dicⁱ^a^r^y^lists^t^h^{e n}^u^m^b^{er o}^f^au^t^h^o^rⁱ^zed^j^u^d^g^eshⁱ^p^s^,^re^sp^ectⁱ^v^el^y^,^oⁿ^t^h^e
^S^u^p^r^em^{e Co}^u^r^t^,^t^h^{e ci}^rcuⁱ^t^co^u^r^t^s^,^t^h^{e di}^st^ri^ct^co^urt^s^,^and^t^h^{e Cou}^r^t^o^f^In^t^e^rn^atⁱ^oⁿ^a^l^T^r^ad^e.^T^h^{e l}ⁱⁿ^k,^un^d^e^{r t}^h^{e h}^eadⁱⁿ^g
^o^f^{“District Co}^u^r^{ts,” p}^r^o^v^id^{es an}^“A^r^ticl^e^{III” su}^b^-^h^eadⁱⁿ^g^(w^ith⁶⁷⁴^j^u^d^g^eshⁱ^p^s^{) an}^d^{a “T}^errito^{rial Co}^u^r^{t” su}^b^-^h^eadⁱⁿ^g
^(wⁱ^t^h⁴^j^u^d^g^eshⁱ^p^s^),^aⁿ^d^,ⁱⁿ^aⁿ^ad^j^acen^t^co^l^u^mⁿ^,⁶⁷⁸ⁱ^s^sh^o^wⁿ^t^o^b^e^t^o^t^a^l^nu^m^b^{er o}^f^j^u^d^g^eshⁱ^p^s^f^o^{r t}^h^{e “Di}^s^t^rⁱ^c^t^Co^u^r^t^s^”
^h^eadⁱⁿ^g.
¹¹^“^A^djuste^{d f}^iling^s^”^e^lⁱ^m^ina^t^e^re^insta^t^e^d^c^a^s^e^s^a^{nd w}^eⁱ^g^ht^pr^{o s}^e^app^eal^{s as o}ⁿ^e^-t^hⁱ^r^d^o^f^{a case.}^A^l^l^o^t^h^e^{r cases h}^a^{ve a}
^w^eⁱ^g^{ht of}^one^{. T}^h^eⁿ^u^m^b^e^r^of^a^d^juste^d^f^iling^s^{in a}^gⁱ^v^e^{n y}^e^a^r^{is the}ⁿ^divⁱ^de^d^by^the^num^be^{r of}^thre^e^-^judg^e^pa^ne^ls^{on a}
^cⁱ^rc^{uit (e}^.g^{., a}^cⁱ^rc^uit^w^{ith 7 a}^u^th^o^r^iz^e^d^ju^dg^e^s^{hips ha}^{s 2}^.³³^pa^ne^ls).^A^d^juste^d^f^iling^s^da^ta^a^r^e^up^da^te^d^e^v^e^r^y^thre^e
^m^onths^.

filings are between 430 and 600 per judgeship, or any court with more than one authorized ¹²
judgeship and only one active judge.
Table 1. Vacancies in Article III Lower Court Judgeships
^{(as of O}^c^{tober 20, 2008)}
^{Nominations Pending}^{Judicial Emergen}^cies
^{Court Vacan}^cies^{For Existing}^{For Future}^Nominees
^Vacan^cies^Vacan^cies^Number^Pending
^{U.S. C}^{ourts of App}^eals¹¹¹⁰⁰⁷⁶
^{U.S. D}^{istrict Courts}²⁵¹⁶⁴⁶⁵
^{U.S. C}^{ourt of}^{0 0}⁰⁰⁰
^Inter^{national Trade}
^{Total 36}²⁶⁴¹³¹¹
^Source:^{CRS analysis of data pr}^{ovided by the Administrative Offi}^{ce for the U}^{nited States Courts,}^{available at}
^{http://www.uscourt}^{s.gov/judicia}^lvac.html.
Table which lists pending nominations, presents all Article III lower court nominations made ^th
during t he 110 Congress that were pending as of the date listed. The table shows the date each
nomination was received by the Senate, the date of any hearing on the nomination before the
Judiciary Committee, and the date of any vote by the committee to report the nomination to the
Senate. The table also indicates which nominations in the list are renominations—persons ^th
nominated to the same judgeship either earlier in the 110 Congress or in a previous Congress.

¹²^“W^eig^h^ted^f^ilin^g^s^{” u}^s^{e a s}^y^ste^m^d^e^v^e^lo^p^e^d^b^y^th^{e Fed}^e^{ral Ju}^dⁱ^cial^Cen^t^{er to}^acco^uⁿ^t^f^o^{r h}^o^w^m^u^ch^o^f^{a ju}^d^g^{e’s tim}^e
^each^{case t}^y^p^e^s^hould^ta^k^e^{. L}ⁱ^k^e^adjus^t^e^d^f^iling^s^da^ta^{, it is}^aⁿ^aⁿ^nua^{l m}^e^a^s^ure^of^c^{ourt w}^o^rk^loa^d^u^pda^te^{d e}^v^e^r^y^thre^e
^m^oⁿ^t^h^s^.^A^cco^rdⁱⁿ^{g t}^o^t^h^{e A}^d^mⁱⁿⁱ^st^ratⁱ^v^{e O}^f^fⁱ^ce^f^o^{r t}^h^{e Un}ⁱ^t^e^{d S}^t^at^{es Co}^u^r^t^s^,^{“average ci}^vi^l^{cases o}^r^cri^mⁱⁿ^al
^d^e^f^eⁿ^d^aⁿ^t^{s each}^recei^{ve a}^wei^g^h^t^o^f^ap^p^r^o^xⁱ^m^at^el^y¹^.⁰^;^f^o^{r m}^o^{re t}ⁱ^m^e-coⁿ^s^u^mⁱⁿ^{g cas}^es,^hⁱ^gh^{er w}^eⁱ^g^h^t^{s are assessed}
^(e^.g^{., a}^de^a^t^h-pe^na^l^t^y^ha^be^a^s^c^o^{rpus c}^a^s^e^{is a}^ssigⁿ^e^d^a^we^ig^{ht of}¹²^.89);^aⁿ^d^c^a^s^e^s^de^m^a^nding^re^la^tiv^e^l^y^little^tim^e^f^r^om
^j^u^d^g^{es recei}^{ve l}^o^wer^w^eⁱ^g^h^t^{s (e.}^g^.^,^{a d}^e^f^a^u^l^t^e^d^st^ud^en^t^l^o^{an case i}^s^assi^gn^ed^{a wei}^g^h^t^o^f⁰^.⁰³¹⁾^.^”^S^ee
^http:^//www^.usc^ourts.g^ov^/libra^ry^/fc^m^sta^t^/^c^m^s^e^x^pl06.htm^l^.

Table 2. Pending Nominations to the U.S. Courts of Appeals, District Courts, and
Court of International Trade in the 110^th Congress
^{(as of O}^c^{tober 20, 2008)}
^Date
^No.^{Name of Nominee}^Court
^{Received by Senate}^Hearing^{Committee Action}
^{Circuit Cou}^{rts of}^Appeals
¹^{Keisler, Peter D.}^a^D.C.^1/9/0⁷^b
²^{Conrad, Robert J., Jr.}^Fourth^7/17/⁰⁷
³^{Stone, Shalom D.}^Third^7/17/⁰⁷
⁴^{Matthews, Steve A.}^Fourth^9/6/0⁷
⁵^{Rosenstein, Rod J.}^Fourth^11/1^5/0⁷
⁶^{Smith, Wil}^{liam E.}^First^12/6/⁰⁷
⁷^{Conrad, Glen E.}^Fourth^5/8/0⁸
⁸^{Diamond, Paul S}^.^Third^7/24/⁰⁸
⁹^{Preska, Loretta A.}^Second^9/9/0⁸
¹⁰^{Simon, Phil}^{ip P.}^Seventh^9/26/⁰⁸
^{District Courts}
¹^{Farr, Thomas Alvin}^a^{E.NC 1/9/0}⁷
²^{Rogan, James E.}^a^C.CA^1/9/0⁷
³^{Dugas, David R.}^M.LA^3/19/⁰⁷
⁴^{Honaker, Richard H.}^WY^3/19/⁰⁷^2/12/⁰⁸
⁵^Powell^{, Wi}^ll^{iam J.}^N.WV^5/24/⁰⁷
⁶^{Puryear, G}^ustav^{us A., IV}^M.TN^6/13/⁰⁷^2/12/⁰⁸
⁷^{Almond, Lincoln D.}^RI^11/1^5/0⁷
⁸^{Novak, David J.}^E.VA^11/1^5/0⁷^4/3/0⁸
⁹^{Connolly, Co}^{lm F.}^DE^2/26/⁰⁸
^{10 O’Neill,}^Michael^DDC^6/19/⁰⁸
¹¹^{Rosen, Jeffrey A.}^DDC^6/19/⁰⁸
^{12 Goldberg,}^Gregory^E.^CO^7/10/⁰⁸
¹³^{Jung, William F.}^M.FL^7/10/⁰⁸
¹⁴^{Dugan, Timothy G.}^E.WI^7/15/⁰⁸
¹⁵^Herna^{ndez, Marco A.}^OR^7/23/⁰⁸
¹⁶^{Short, Carolyn P.}^E.PA^7/24/⁰⁸
¹⁷^{Barry, J. Richard}^S.MS^7/31/⁰⁸
^{18 Marcelle,}^Thomas^N.NY^7/31/⁰⁸
¹⁹^{Tharp, Joh}^{n J., Jr.}^N.IL^7/31/⁰⁸
²⁰^{Davis, J. Mac}^W.WI^9/9/0⁸
^{Court o}^f^{International T}^rade

^Date
^No.^{Name of Nominee}^Court
^{Received by Senate}^Hearing^{Committee Action}
^{(There are}^{no pending}^{nominations to the Cou}^{rt of I}^nterna^{tional Trade)}
^Source:^{CRS Judicial Nominatio}^{ns Database}
^a.^{Renomination of an individual first nominated in the}¹⁰⁹^th^Co^ngres^{s (20}^05-2⁰⁰^6).
^b.^{The individual received a hearing}^{in the 1}⁰⁹^th^Congres^{s on a}^nomin^{ation to the same position.}
Tables 3 and 4 list all nominations to the circuit courts of appeals and to the district courts, ^th
respectively, made by President Bush during the 110 Congress, as of the date listed, and any ¹³
actions taken on the nominations. The nominations are listed in chronological order according
to the date on which each was received by the Senate. The tables show how far along each
nomination has progressed in the appointment process, with separate columns indicating the date
on which any of the following occurred:
• the Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the nomination,
• the committee voted to report or take other action on the nomination, or
• final action was taken on the nomination.
When final action has occurred on a nomination, the nature of the action is indicated in another
column, under the heading “Disposition.” (For each nomination, one of four kinds of disposition
is possible—confirmation by the Senate, return of the nomination to the President, withdrawal by
the President, and rejection by the Senate. During George W. Bush’s presidency, however, the
Senate has never voted to reject a judicial nomination.) An additional column, for nominations
receiving a Senate confirmation vote, indicates whether the vote was by roll call (by supplying
the roll call tally) or by voice vote.
A final column in Tables 3 and 4 presents time-span information for nominations having received ^th
final action in the 110 Congress. Specifically, for each such nomination, the column measures

¹³^{In t}^h^e^e^v^eⁿ^{t a}ⁿ^y^nom^ina^{tions w}^e^r^e^{to be}^m^a^de^{to t}^h^e^te^rr^itorⁱ^a^l^dis^t^rⁱ^c^t^c^our^ts^,^the^y^w^ould^be^lis^te^dⁱⁿ^A^num^e^r^ic^a^l
^t^a^l^l^yⁱⁿ^dⁱ^cat^{es a S}^eⁿ^a^t^e^ro^l^l^cal^l^vo^t^e^on^con^fⁱ^r^m^a^tⁱ^oⁿ^(t^h^e^y^eas^f^o^l^l^o^w^e^d^b^y^t^h^{e n}^a^y^s^).^“V^oⁱ^{ce” i}ⁿ^di^cat^{es t}^h^at^t^h^{e S}^eⁿ^a^t^e
^c^onf^ir^m^e^{d the}ⁿ^o^mⁱ^na^tion^by^v^o^ice^v^o^te^.
^a.^{For individuals nominated in a pr}^{evious Congress, the valu}^{es displayed in this column}^{report t}^he^nu^{mber of}
^{days which elapsed}^betwee^{n the}^{date of the first}^{nomination and t}^{he date of the}^{final action on the}^most
^{recent nomination}ⁱⁿ^{the 11}^0th^Congress.
^b.^{The individual received a hearing}^{in the 1}^09t^{h Congr}^{ess on a}^{nomination to the same}^{position. For}
^additi^{onal information, see Appe}^{ndices 1 and}^{4 in CRS Report RL}³¹⁸^{68, U.S. Circuit and District Court}
^{Nominations by President}^Georg^{e W. Bush During}^the¹⁰^7th-¹⁰⁹^{th Congresse}^{s, by Denis Steve}ⁿ^Rutkus,
^{Kevin M. Scott, and Mauree}^{n Bea}^rden.
^c.^{Renomination of an individual first nominated in the}¹⁰^9t^{h Congre}^{ss (20}^05-2⁰⁰^6).
^d.^{Smith was withdrawn as}^{a nomin}^{ee for a seat vacat}^{ed by Ste}^pheⁿ^{Trott and renominated, the sa}^me^{day, for}
^{a seat vacated by}^{Thomas Nelson}^.

^Table^{, a}^nd^tre^a^t^e^d^a^s^f^a^lling^w^{ithin t}^h^e^c^a^t^e^g^or^y^of^distric^t^c^ourt^no^mⁱ^na^{tions, e}^v^eⁿ^tho^u^g^h^{, a}^s^disc^us^se^{d a}^bov^e^,^the^y^th
^{are n}^o^t^A^r^{ticle III co}^u^r^tⁿ^o^mⁱⁿ^a^tioⁿ^s^{. T}^h^u^s^f^a^{r d}^u^rⁱⁿ^g^th^e¹¹⁰^C^oⁿ^g^r^e^s^s^,^{no n}^o^mⁱ^na^tions^ha^v^e^be^eⁿ^m^a^de^{to the}
^te^rritoria^l^c^o^urts.

the number of days that elapsed between a nominee’s first nomination to a particular court and the
final action on this (the most recent) nomination. In some cases, a nominee has been nominated
only once by President Bush for a judgeship, and the time span measured for such a nominee in
the final column in Tables 3 and 4 is the number of days that elapsed between the date during the ^th

110 Congress that the nomination was received in the Senate and the date it received final ^th

action. However, in other cases, a judicial nominee in the 110 Congress has been nominated
more than once, with one or more nominations of that person having been made in an earlier
Congress. For such a nominee, the final column in Tables 3 and 4 measures the number of days
that elapsed between the nominee’s first nomination in the earlier Congress and the date that the ^th¹⁴
nominee’s nomination in the 110 Congress received final action.
Table shows that, thus far in the 110^th Congress, President Bush has nominated 23 individuals to ¹⁵
circuit court judgeships, 10 of whom have been confirmed by the Senate, while the nominations ¹⁶
of 3 were withdrawn by the President and not resubmitted. Table shows that, thus far in the ^th¹⁷
110 Congress, the President has nominated 79 individuals to district court judgeships. Of those

79, 58 have been confirmed, while the nomination of 1 was withdrawn by the President and not ¹⁸

resubmitted.
Table , for the present, is an empty table, which exists to account for any future nominations that ^th
President Bush might make to the U.S. Court of International Trade. (Thus far during the 110
Congress, no nominations have been made to this court.) The table is of the same format as
Tables 3 and 4. Accordingly, in the event any nominations were to be made to the court, the table
would list actions on the nominations by the Judiciary Committee and the Senate, any other final
action taken, and number of days elapsed between the date of nomination and date of final action.

¹⁴^For^a^pe^r^s^onⁿ^o^mⁱ^na^te^{d f}^o^r^the^fⁱ^r^s^{t tim}^e^{to a}^judg^e^s^hip^d^u^rⁱ^ng^t^h^e¹¹⁰^th^C^o^ng^r^e^s^s^,^only^{to be}^r^e^-^nom^ina^t^e^d^d^u^rⁱ^ng
^the¹¹⁰^th^Cong^re^{ss, the}^fⁱ^na^{l c}^o^lu^mⁿⁱⁿ^Ta^b^l^{es 3}^a^nd⁴^s^how^s^,^if^fⁱ^na^{l a}^c^tion^ha^s^oc^c^u^r^r^e^{d o}ⁿ^t^h^e^la^s^t^nom^ina^tio^{n, t}^h^e
^tim^e^e^l^a^p^s^e^{d be}^t^w^e^eⁿ^da^te^of^fⁱ^r^s^t^nom^ina^tio^{n a}ⁿ^{d da}^te^of^fⁱ^na^{l a}^c^tⁱ^on^on^the^la^s^t^nom^ina^tio^n.
¹⁵^W^h^ile^Ta^b^l^e^lis^ts^{24 n}^o^mⁱ^na^tion^s^{to t}^h^e^c^our^ts^of^a^ppe^a^l^s^,^t^h^e^nu^m^b^e^r^of^pe^r^s^ons^nom^ina^t^e^d^is²³^.^T^h^e²⁴
^nom^ina^tions^inc^l^u^d^e^tw^{o of}^the^s^a^m^e^pe^r^s^{on, N}^.^R^a^ndy^Sm^{ith. A}^s^Ta^b^l^e^show^{s, S}^m^{ith’s f}ⁱ^{rst nom}^ina^tionⁱⁿ^the¹¹⁰^th
^C^ong^r^e^s^s^{to a}^pa^r^tic^ula^r^s^e^a^t^on^th^e^Nⁱ^{nth C}ⁱ^r^c^{uit w}^a^s^w^ithdr^a^w^{n on the}^s^a^m^e^day^tha^t^he^w^a^s^r^e^no^mⁱ^na^te^{d f}^o^r^a
^dif^f^e^r^eⁿ^{t N}ⁱ^{nth C}ⁱ^r^c^{uit s}^e^a^t^.
¹⁶^T^hus^f^a^r^{in the}¹¹⁰^th^C^ong^r^e^s^s^,^th^e^nom^ina^tions^of^f^our^c^our^t^of^a^p^pe^a^l^s^nom^ine^e^s^ha^v^e^be^eⁿ^w^ithdr^a^w^{n. H}^o^w^e^v^e^r^,^a^s
^exp^l^aiⁿ^e^dⁱⁿ^t^h^e^p^r^ecedⁱⁿ^{g f}^o^o^t^not^e,^oⁿ^e^o^f^t^h^{ese i}ⁿ^di^vi^d^u^a^l^s^w^a^{s re}ⁿ^o^mⁱⁿ^at^ed^.
¹⁷^W^h^ile^Ta^b^l^e^lis^ts^{80 n}^o^mⁱ^na^tion^s^{to t}^h^e^dis^t^rⁱ^c^t^c^our^ts^,^the^num^be^r^of^pe^r^s^ons^nom^ina^t^e^d^is⁷⁹^{. T}^h^e⁸⁰^nom^ina^tio^ns
^inc^l^u^d^e^tw^{o of}^the^s^a^m^e^pe^r^s^{on, C}^a^r^o^ly^{n P}^.^Sh^or^{t. A}^s^Ta^b^l^e^show^s,^Sh^{ort’s f}ⁱ^{rst nom}^ina^tio^{n in}^the¹¹⁰^th^C^ong^r^e^s^s^{to a}
^p^a^rtⁱ^c^u^l^{ar seat}^on^t^h^e^E^a^st^ern^Di^st^ri^ct^o^f^P^eⁿⁿ^s^y^l^vanⁱ^a^w^a^s^wⁱ^t^h^d^r^awⁿ^oⁿ^t^h^{e sam}^e^d^a^y^t^h^at^sh^{e w}^a^s^ren^o^mⁱⁿ^at^ed^f^o^{r a}
^dⁱ^f^f^eren^t^E^a^st^ern^Di^st^ri^ct^o^f^P^eⁿⁿ^s^y^l^v^anⁱ^a^seat^.
¹⁸^T^hus^f^a^r^{in the}¹¹⁰^th^C^ong^r^e^s^s^,^th^e^nom^ina^tions^of^tw^{o dis}^t^rⁱ^c^t^c^o^u^r^{t nom}^ine^e^s^ha^v^e^be^eⁿ^w^ithdr^a^w^{n. H}^o^w^e^ve^r^,^a^s
^exp^l^aiⁿ^e^dⁱⁿ^t^h^e^p^r^ecedⁱⁿ^{g f}^o^o^t^not^e,^oⁿ^e^o^f^t^h^{ese i}ⁿ^di^vi^d^u^a^l^s^w^a^{s re}ⁿ^o^mⁱⁿ^at^ed^.

Table 3. President George W. Bush’s Nominations to the U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals During the 110^th Congress
^{(as of O}^c^{tober 20, 2008)}
^Date^{Name of}^{Days Elapsed, First}
^No.^Nominee^{State Court}^Nomination^Committee^Final^{Disposition Vote}^a^{Nomination to Final Action}^b
^Received^Hearing^Action^Action
¹^Hardiman,^{Thomas M.}^{PA Third}^1/9/0⁷^c^3/8/0⁷^3/15/⁰⁷^Confirmed^95-0¹⁸³
²^{Keisler, Peter}^D.^d^{MD D.C.}^1/9/0⁷^c
³^Livingston,^{Debra A}^d^{NY Second}^1/9/0⁷^4/11/⁰⁷^5/3/0⁷^5/9/0⁷^Confirmed^91-0³¹⁵
⁴^{Smith, N. Randy}^d^ID^Ninth^1/9/0⁷^c^1/16/⁰⁷^Withdrawn^—^—
^{5 Southwick,}^Leslie^MS^Fifth^1/9/0⁷^5/10/⁰⁷^8/2/0⁷^10/2^4/0⁷^Confirmed^59-3⁸²⁸⁸
ⁱ^{ki/CRS-RL33953}⁶^{Smith, N.}^de^{ID Ninth}^1/16/⁰⁷^c^2/8/0⁷^2/15/⁰⁷^Confirmed^94-0⁴²⁶
^g/w^Randy
^s^.or⁷^Kethledge,^{MI Sixth}^3/19/⁰⁷^5/7/0⁸^6/12/⁰⁸^6/24/⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice⁷²⁷
^le^ak^{Raymond M.}^d
^://wiki⁸^Mur^{phy, Step}^hen^{J., III}^d^{MI Sixth}^3/19/⁰⁷^4/15/⁰⁸^Withdrawn^—⁶⁵⁷
^h^ttp^{Elrod, Jennifer}
⁹^W.^{TX Fifth}^3/29/⁰⁷^7/19/⁰⁷^9/20/⁰⁷^10/4/⁰⁷^Confirmed^Voice¹⁸⁹
¹⁰^{Conrad, Robert}^{J., Jr.}^{NC Fourth}^7/17/⁰⁷
¹¹^Haynes,^Catharina^{TX Fifth}^7/17/⁰⁷^2/21/⁰⁸^4/3/0⁸^4/10/⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice²⁶⁸
¹²^{Stone, Shalom D.}^NJ^Third^7/17/⁰⁷
¹³^{Tinder, John D.}^IN^Seventh^7/17/⁰⁷^9/25/⁰⁷^11/1/⁰⁷^12/1^8/0⁷^Confirmed^93-0¹⁵⁴
¹⁴^{Matthews, Steve}^A.^{SC Fourth}^9/6/0⁷
¹⁵^{Getchell, E.}^{Duncan, J}^r.^{VA Fourth}^9/6/0⁷^1/23/⁰⁸^Withdrawn^—¹³⁹

^Date^{Name of}^{Days Elapsed, First}
^No.^Nominee^{State Court}^Nomination^Committee^Final^{Disposition Vote}^a^{Nomination to Final Action}^b
^Received^Hearing^Action^Action
¹^Hardiman,^{Thomas M.}^{PA Third}^1/9/0⁷^c^3/8/0⁷^3/15/⁰⁷^Confirmed^95-0¹⁸³
¹⁶^{Pratter, Gene}^E.K.^{PA Third}^11/1^5/0⁷^7/24/⁰⁸^Withdrawn^—²⁵²
¹⁷^{Rosenstein, Rod}^J.^{MD Fourth}^11/1^5/0⁷
¹⁸^{Smith, Wil}^{liam E.}^RI^First^12/6/⁰⁷
¹⁹^{Agee, G. Steven}^VA^Fourth^3/13/⁰⁸^5/1/0⁸^5/12/⁰⁸^5/20/⁰⁸^Confirmed^96-0⁶⁸
²⁰^{White, Helene}^N.^{MI Sixth}^4/15/⁰⁸^5/7/0⁸^6/12/⁰⁸^6/24/⁰⁸^Confirmed^63-3²⁷⁰
²¹^{Conrad, Glen E.}^VA^Fourth^5/8/0⁸
ⁱ^{ki/CRS-RL33953}²²^{Diamond, Paul S}^.^PA^Third^7/24/⁰⁸
^g/w^{Preska, Loretta}
^s^.or²³^A.^{NY Second}^9/9/0⁸
^le^ak²⁴^{Simon, Phil}^{ip P.}^IN^Seventh^9/26/⁰⁸
^://wiki^Source:^{CRS Judicial Nominatio}^{ns Database}
^h^ttp^a.^{A nume}^{rical tally indicates a Senate roll call vote}^{on confirmation (the yeas}^{followed by the nays). “}^{Voice” indicates that the}^{Senate c}^{onfirmed the}^{nomination by voic}^e
^vote.
^b.^{For individuals nominated in a pr}^{evious Congress, the valu}^{es displayed in this column}^{report t}^he^nu^{mber of days w}^{hich elap}^{sed b}^etw^{een the}^{date of the}^first^th
^{nomination and the date of t}^{he fi}^{nal action on the most}^recent^no^{mination in the}¹¹⁰^Congre^ss.
^c.^{The individual received a hearing}^{in the 1}⁰⁹^th^Congres^{s on a}^nomin^{ation to the same position. For additi}^{onal information, see Appen}^{dices 1 and 4}^{in CRS Report}^th^th
^RL318^68,^{U.S. Circuit and District}^{Court Nominations by President Ge}^{orge W. Bush During the 107}^-109^Congresses^{, by Denis Steve}^{n Ru}^{tkus, Kevin M. Scott, and Mau}^reeⁿ
^Bearden.
^d.^{Renomination of an individual first nominated in the}¹⁰⁹^th^Co^ngres^{s (20}^05-2⁰⁰^6).
^e.^{Smith was withdrawn as}^{a nomin}^{ee for a seat vacat}^{ed by Ste}^pheⁿ^{Trott and renominated, the sa}^me^{day, for a seat vacated b}^y^Thoma^{s Nelson.}

Table 4. President George W. Bush’s Nominations to the U.S. District Courts During the 110^th Congress
^{(as of O}^c^{tober 20, 2008)}
^Date^{Days Elapsed, First}
^{Name of Nominee}^Court^Nomination^Committee^Disposition^Vote^a^{Nomination to Final}^b
^Received^Hearing^Action^{Final Action}^Action
¹^{Bailey, John P.}^c^N.WV^1/9/0^{7 2/6/0}^{7 3/1/0}⁷^3/15/⁰⁷^Confirmed^Voice²⁶⁰
²^{Baker, Valerie L.}^c^C.CA^1/9/0⁷^d^1/25/⁰⁷^2/1/0⁷^Confirmed^Voice²⁷³
³^{Bryant, Vanessa L.}^c^CT^1/9/0⁷^d^3/8/0⁷^3/28/⁰⁷^Confirmed^Voice⁴²⁷
^{4 Donohue,}^Mary^O.^c^N.NY^1/9/0⁷^9/6/0⁷^Withdrawn^—⁴³⁵
⁵^{Farr, Thomas A.}^c^E.NC^1/9/0⁷
⁶^{Fischer, Nora B.}^c^W.PA^1/9/0⁷^d^2/8/0⁷^2/14/⁰⁷^Confirmed^97-0²¹⁶
⁷^Frizzel^{l, Gregory K.}^c^N.OK^1/9/0⁷^d^1/25/⁰⁷^2/1/0⁷^Confirmed^99-0²³⁹
⁸^{Gutierrez, Philip S.}^c^C.CA^1/9/0⁷^d^1/25/⁰⁷^1/30/⁰⁷^Confirmed^97-0²⁸¹
ⁱ^{ki/CRS-RL33953}^c^d
^g/w⁹^{Howard, Marcia M.}^M.FL^1/9/0⁷^2/8/0⁷^2/15/⁰⁷^Confirmed^93-0²⁵³
^s^.or^{Jarvey, John}^A.^c^S.IA^1/9/0⁷^d^2/8/0⁷^3/8/0⁷^Confirmed^95-0²⁵³
^le^ak^{Kapala, Frederick J.}^c^N.IL^1/9/0^{7 3/13/}⁰⁷^4/25/^{07 5/8/0}⁷^Confirmed^91-0¹⁵⁴
^://wiki^Sara^E.^c^N.OH^1/9/0⁷^d^2/8/0⁷^3/8/0⁷^Confirmed^Voice²³⁸
^h^ttp^{Mauskopf, Rosslyn R.}^c^E.NY^1/9/0⁷^4/11/^{07 7/19/}^{07 10/4/}⁰⁷^Confirmed^Voice⁴²⁸
^Liam^c^E.VA^1/9/0^{7 5/10/}⁰⁷^5/24/^{07 7/9/0}⁷^Confirmed^88-0³⁴¹
^{O’Neill, Lawrence J.}^c^E.CA^1/9/0⁷^d^1/25/⁰⁷^2/1/0⁷^Confirmed^97-0¹⁸³
^{Osteen, William L., Jr.}^c^M.NC^1/9/0⁷^6/20/^{07 7/19/}^{07 9/10/}⁰⁷^Confirmed^90-0³⁴⁶
^{Ozerden, Halil S.}^c^S.MS^1/9/0⁷^3/13/^{07 4/12/}^{07 4/24/}⁰⁷^Confirmed^95-0²³¹
^{Reidinger, Martin K}^c^W.NC^1/9/0⁷^6/20/^{07 7/19/}^{07 9/10/}⁰⁷^Confirmed^Voice³⁴⁶
^{Rogan, James E.}^c^C.CA^1/9/0⁷
^{Schroeder, Thomas D.}^c^M.NC^1/9/0⁷^10/2^4/0^{7 11/1}^5/0^{7 12/1}^4/0⁷^Confirmed^Voice⁴⁴¹
^{Settle, Benjamin H.}^c^W.WA^1/9/0⁷^3/13/^{07 4/25/}^{07 6/28/}⁰⁷^Confirmed^99-0²²⁵
^{Van Bokkelen, Joseph S.}^N.IN^1/9/0⁷^4/11/⁰⁷^5/3/0⁷^6/28/⁰⁷^Confirmed^Voice¹⁷⁰
^Wood^{, Lisa G.}^c^S.GA^1/9/0⁷^d^1/25/⁰⁷^1/30/⁰⁷^Confirmed^97-0²³²

^Date^{Days Elapsed, First}
^{Name of Nominee}^Court^Nomination^Committee^Disposition^Vote^a^{Nomination to Final}^b
^Received^Hearing^Action^{Final Action}^Action
^{Wright, Otis D., II}^c^C.CA^1/9/0^{7 2/6/0}^{7 3/1/0}⁷^3/15/⁰⁷^Confirmed^Voice¹⁹¹
^{Wu, George H.}^c^C.CA^1/9/0^{7 2/6/0}^{7 3/1/0}⁷^3/27/⁰⁷^Confirmed^96-0²⁰³
^{DeGiusti, Timothy D.}^W.OK^2/15/⁰⁷^6/20/⁰⁷^7/19/⁰⁷^8/3/0⁷^Confirmed^96-0¹⁶⁹
^Sullivan,^R^ichard^S.NY^2/15/⁰⁷^4/11/^{07 5/3/0}^{7 6/28/}⁰⁷^Confirmed^99-0¹³³
^Aycock,^Sharion^N.MS^3/19/⁰⁷^7/19/^{07 9/6/0}^{7 10/4/}⁰⁷^Confirmed^Voice¹⁹⁹
^{Dugas, David R.}^M.LA^3/19/⁰⁷
^{Hall, James R.}^S.GA^3/19/⁰⁷^2/12/⁰⁸^3/6/0⁸^4/10/⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice³⁸⁸
^{Honaker, Richard H.}^WY^3/19/⁰⁷^2/12/⁰⁸
^{Jones, Richard A.}^W.WA^3/19/⁰⁷^7/19/⁰⁷^9/6/0⁷^10/4/⁰⁷^Confirmed^Voice¹⁹⁹
ⁱ^{ki/CRS-RL33953}^{Jonker, Robert J.}^c^W.MI^3/19/⁰⁷^d^6/7/0⁷^7/9/0⁷^Confirmed^Voice³⁷⁶
^g/w^{Maloney, Paul L.}^c^W.MI^3/19/⁰⁷^d^5/24/⁰⁷^7/9/0⁷^Confirmed^Voice³⁷⁶
^s^.or^{Neff, Jan}^{et T.}^c^W.MI^3/19/⁰⁷^5/10/⁰⁷^d^5/24/⁰⁷^7/9/0⁷^Confirmed^83-4³⁷⁶
^le^ak^Sammartino,^Janis^L.^S.CA^3/19/^{07 6/20/}^{07 7/19/}^{07 9/10/}⁰⁷^Confirmed^90-0¹⁷⁵
^://wiki^Powell^{, Wi}^ll^{iam J.}^N.WV^5/24/⁰⁷
^h^ttp^{Thapar, Amul R.}^E.KY^5/24/⁰⁷^10/2^4/0⁷^11/1^5/0⁷^12/1^3/0⁷^Confirmed^Voice²⁰³
^{Laplante, Josep}^{h N.}^NH^6/13/⁰⁷^10/2^4/0⁷^11/1^5/0⁷^12/1^4/0⁷^Confirmed^Voice¹⁸⁴
^{Puryear, G}^ustav^{us A., IV}^M.TN^6/13/⁰⁷^2/12/⁰⁸
^{O’Connor, Reed C.}^N.TX^6/27/⁰⁷^10/2^4/0⁷^11/1^5/0⁷^11/1^6/0⁷^Confirmed^Voice¹⁴²
^{Dow, R}^{obert M., Jr.}^N.IL^7/18/⁰⁷^9/25/⁰⁷^10/4/⁰⁷^11/1^3/0⁷^Confirmed^86-0¹¹⁸
^Anderson,^Stanley^T.^W.TN^9/6/0^{7 2/21/}^{08 3/6/0}^{8 4/10/}⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice²¹⁷
^Mendez,^John^A.^E.CA^9/6/0^{7 2/21/}^{08 3/6/0}^{8 4/10/}⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice²¹⁷
^{Miller, Brian S.}^E.AR^10/1^6/0⁷^2/12/⁰⁸^3/6/0⁸^4/10/⁰⁸^Confirmed^88-0¹⁷⁷
^{Almond, Lincoln D.}^RI^11/1^5/0⁷
^{Davis, Mark S.}^E.VA^11/1^5/0⁷^4/3/0⁸^4/24/⁰⁸^6/10/⁰⁸^Confirmed^94-0²⁰⁸
^{Kays, David G.}^W.MO^11/1^5/0⁷^4/3/0⁸^4/24/⁰⁸^6/10/⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice²⁰⁸

^Date^{Days Elapsed, First}
^{Name of Nominee}^Court^Nomination^Committee^Disposition^Vote^a^{Nomination to Final}^b
^Received^Hearing^Action^{Final Action}^Action
^{Novak, David J.}^E.VA^11/1^5/0⁷^4/3/0⁸
^{Short, Carolyn P.}^E.PA^11/1^5/0⁷^7/24/⁰⁸^Withdrawn^e^—^—
^{Limbaugh, Step}^hen^{N., Jr.}^E.MO^12/6/⁰⁷^4/3/0⁸^4/24/⁰⁸^6/10/⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice¹⁸⁷
^{Snow, G. Murray}^AZ^12/1^1/0⁷^5/1/0⁸^5/22/⁰⁸^6/26/⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice¹⁹⁸
^{Suddaby, Glenn T.}^N.NY^12/1^1/0⁷^6/11/⁰⁸^6/26/⁰⁸^7/22/⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice²²⁴
^{Lawrence, William T.}^S.IN^2/14/⁰⁸^5/1/0⁸^5/22/⁰⁸^6/26/⁰⁸^Confirmed^97-0¹³³
^{Connolly, Co}^{lm F.}^DE^2/26/⁰⁸
^Matsumoto,^Kiyo^A.^E.NY^3/11/^{08 6/11/}^{08 6/26/}^{08 7/17/}⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice¹²⁸
^Seibel,^Cathy^S.NY^3/11/^{08 6/11/}^{08 6/26/}^{08 7/22/}⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice¹³³
ⁱ^{ki/CRS-RL33953}^Mur^{phy, Step}^hen^{J., III}^E.MI^4/15/⁰⁸^5/7/0⁸^6/12/⁰⁸^6/24/⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice⁷⁰
^g/w^Gardep^he,^Paul^G.^S.NY^4/29/^{08 6/11/}^{08 6/26/}^{08 7/17/}⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice⁷⁹
^s^.or^Waddoups,^Clark^UT^4/29/^{08 9/9/0}^{8 9/25/}⁰⁸^9/26/⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice¹⁵⁰
^le^ak^{Anello, Michael M.}^S.CA^4/30/⁰⁸^9/9/0⁸^9/25/⁰⁸^9/26/⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice¹⁴⁹
^://wiki^O’Neill,^Michael^DC^6/19/⁰⁸
^h^ttp^{Rosen, Jeffrey A.}^DC^6/19/⁰⁸
^{Arguello, Christine M.}^CO^7/10/⁰⁸^9/9/0⁸^9/25/⁰⁸^9/26/⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice⁷⁸
^{Brimmer, Philip A.}^CO^7/10/⁰⁸^9/9/0⁸^9/25/⁰⁸^9/26/⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice⁷⁸
^Goldberg,^Gregory^E.^CO^7/10/⁰⁸
^{Jung, William F.}^M.FL^7/10/⁰⁸
^{Scriven, Mary S.}^M.FL^7/10/⁰⁸^9/9/0⁸^9/25/⁰⁸^9/26/⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice⁷⁸
^{Dugan, Timothy G.}^E.WI^7/15/⁰⁸
^Trenga,^Anthon^y^J.^E.VA^7/17/^{08 9/23/}^{08 9/25/}^{08 9/26/}⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice⁷¹
^Herna^{ndez, Marco A.}^OR^7/23/⁰⁸
^Melgren,^Eric^F.^KS^7/23/^{08 9/23/}^{08 9/25/}^{08 9/26/}⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice⁶⁵

^Date^{Days Elapsed, First}
^{Name of Nominee}^Court^Nomination^Committee^Disposition^Vote^a^{Nomination to Final}^b
^Received^Hearing^Action^{Final Action}^Action
^Goldberg,^Mitchell^S.^E.PA^7/24/^{08 9/23/}^{08 9/25/}^{08 9/26/}⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice⁶⁴
^{Jones, C. Darnell, II}^E.PA^7/24/⁰⁸^9/23/⁰⁸^9/25/⁰⁸^9/26/⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice⁶⁴
^{Short, Carolyn P.}^f^E.PA^7/24/⁰⁸
^Slomsky,^Joel^S.^E.PA^7/24/^{08 9/23/}^{08 9/25/}^{08 9/26/}⁰⁸^Confirmed^Voice⁶⁴
^{Barry, J. Richard}^S.MS^7/31/⁰⁸
^Marcelle,^Thomas^N.NY^7/31/⁰⁸
^{Tharp, Joh}^{n J., Jr.}^N.IL^7/31/⁰⁸
^{Davis, J. Mac}^W.WI^9/9/0⁸
^Source:^{CRS Judicial Nominatio}^{ns Database}
ⁱ^{ki/CRS-RL33953}^a.^{A nume}^{rical tally indicates a Senate roll call vote}^{on confirmation (the yeas}^{followed by the nays). “}^{Voice” indicates that the}^{Senate c}^{onfirmed the}^{nomination by voic}^e
^g/w^vote.
^s^.or^b.^{For individuals nominated in a pr}^{evious Congress, the valu}^{es displayed in this column}^{report t}^he^nu^{mber of days w}^{hich elap}^{sed b}^etw^{een the}^{date of the}^first
^le^ak^{nomination and the date of t}^{he fi}^{nal action on the most}^recent^no^{mination in the}¹¹⁰^th^Congre^ss.
^th^Co^ngres^{s (20}^05-2⁰⁰^6).
^://wiki^c.^{Renomination of an individual first nominated in the}¹⁰⁹^th
^h^ttp^d.^{The individual received a hearing}^{in the 1}⁰⁹^Congres^{s on a}^nomin^{ation to the same position. For additi}^{onal information, see Appen}^{dices 5 and 8}^{in CRS Report}^RL318^68,^{U.S. Circuit and District}^{Court Nominations by President Ge}^{orge W. Bush During the 107}^th^-109^th^Congresses^{, by Denis Steve}^{n Ru}^{tkus, Kevin M. Scott, and Mau}^reeⁿ
^Bearden.
^e.^{This nomination was made to fill a district court judgeship}^upon^th^{e elevation of U.S. d}^{istrict court judge Ge}^{ne E.K. Pratter t}^{o the}^Th^{ird Circuit. (See in Table , above,}
^{the Novem}^ber^{15, 2}⁰⁰^{7, nominat}^{ion of Pratter to the Third Circui}^{t.) When the Pratte}^{r nomination}^{to the Third Circuit was withdr}^a^{wn on J}^{uly 2}^{4, 20}^{08, t}^{he district}
^{judgeship in q}^{uestion no longer}ⁿ^{eeded to be filled; accordingly}^{, the Short nomination was withdra}^{wn, also on July 2}^{4. That sam}^{e da}^{y, President Bush}^renominated
^{Short to a different district judge}^{ship in t}^{he same judicial district.}
^f.^{Renomination of an individual nominated earlier in the}¹¹⁰^th^Cong^{ress to a differe}^{nt judgeship in}^th^{e same judicial district.}^{See in this table the}^Novembe^{r 1}^{5, 20}^07,
^{nomination of Short, the withdra}^{wal of that nomination on J}^{uly 2}⁴^,²⁰⁰^{8, and p}^{receding table}^note^{explaining the}^{need for}^that^{nomination to be withdraw}^n.

Table 5. President George W. Bush’s Nominations to the U.S. Court of International Trade During the 110^th Congress
^{(as of O}^c^{tober 20, 2008)}
^Date^{Name of}^{Days Elapsed, First Nominati}^{on to Final}
^No.^Nominee^{State Court}^Nomination^Committee^Final^Action
^Received^Hearing^Action^Action
^{Thus fa}^{r, during t}^{he 1}¹⁰^th^Congr^{ess, there}^have^been^{no nominati}^{ons to this court.}
^Source:^{CRS Judicial Nominatio}^{ns Database}

ⁱ^{ki/CRS-RL33953}
^g/w
^s^.or
^le^ak
^://wiki
^h^ttp

Table presents the total number of persons nominated by President Bush to each category of
lower Article III court during his entire presidency. The table also breaks down each numerical
total, showing, as of the date listed, the number of nominees whose most recent nominations were
(1) confirmed; (2) pending in the Senate; (3) returned to the President, at the end of a Congress or
at the start of a Senate recess of more than 30 days, and not re-submitted; or (4) withdrawn by the
President. This table counts nominees to a particular judgeship only once, even if they were ¹⁹
nominated to their judgeship more than once.
Table 6. President George W. Bush’s Nominees to Article III Lower Courts: A
Numerical Breakdown According to Status of Their Most Recent Nomination
^{(January 20, 2001 - October 20, 2008)}
^Court^Confirmed^Pending^{Returned, Not Renominated}^Withdrawⁿ^Total
^{Courts of Ap}^peals⁶¹¹⁰⁸⁶⁸⁵
^{District Courts}^a²⁶¹²⁰¹⁴²⁸⁶
^{Court of Inte}^{rnational Trade}²⁰⁰⁰²
^{Total 324}³⁰⁹¹⁰³⁷³
^Source:^{CRS Judicial Nominatio}^{ns Database}
^a.^{Does not include three}^nominees^{to the territorial district courts, all of whom were confirmed p}^{rior to the}^th
¹¹⁰^Congre^{ss. Judges on}^those^{courts are a}^{ppointed to re}^newabl^{e 10-year}^{terms. The}^{re ha}^{ve bee}^{n no}^th
^{nominations to the ter}^{ritorial dis}^{trict courts in t}^he¹¹⁰^Congre^ss^.
Table places the judicial nominee numbers of the George W. Bush presidency in the context of
the last five Presidents. Comparison of the nominee statistics of the two-term Presidents in this
group (Reagan, Clinton, and George W. Bush) reveal that, as of October 20, 2008:
• The percentage of George W. Bush’s nominees confirmed to the circuit courts
(71.8%) is relatively close to the confirmation percentage for Clinton nominees
(72.2% for circuit courts), but well below that for Reagan nominees (88.3% for
circuit courts).
• The percentage of George W. Bush’s nominees confirmed to the district courts
(91.3%) is more than the confirmation percentage for Clinton nominees (87.1%),
but less than that for Reagan nominees (94.8%).
• The number of Bush nominees confirmed to the circuit courts (61) is somewhat
below the number of confirmed Clinton circuit nominees (65) and well below the
number of confirmed Reagan circuit nominees (83), while the number of Bush
nominees confirmed to the district courts (261) is well below the confirmed
district court nominee numbers of both Presidents Clinton and Reagan (305 and

290, respectively).

¹⁹^S^o^m^e^o^f^P^r^esi^d^en^t^Bu^sh^’sⁿ^o^mⁱⁿ^ees^w^e^{re n}^o^mⁱⁿ^at^ed^t^o^{a ci}^rcuⁱ^t^o^r^dⁱ^st^ri^ct^j^u^d^g^eshⁱ^p^m^o^{re t}^h^an^on^{ce w}ⁱ^t^hⁱⁿ^a
^C^ong^r^e^s^s^,^or^nom^ina^t^e^d^to^the^j^u^d^g^e^s^h^ip^{in m}^o^re^thaⁿ^oⁿ^e^Cong^re^{ss. For}^a^lis^tⁱⁿ^g^o^f^t^h^{ese n}^o^mⁱⁿ^ees,^{as wel}^l^{as o}^t^h^e^r
^P^r^e^s^ideⁿ^{ts’ n}^o^mⁱ^ne^e^s^{to the}^cⁱ^rc^uⁱ^{t a}^nd^distric^t^c^o^urts^w^hoseⁿ^o^mⁱ^na^{tions w}^e^re^re^subm^itte^{d f}^r^o^m¹⁹⁷^{7 thr}^oug^h²⁰⁰⁶^,
^Se^e^C^R^S^R^e^por^t^R^L³³⁸^39,^Re^turⁿ^s^a^{nd Re}^s^u^bm^is^sⁱ^oⁿ^s^of^N^o^mⁱ^ne^e^s^{to t}^h^e^U^.^S.^C^o^ur^ts^of^Ap^pe^als^an^{d D}ⁱ^s^t^rⁱ^c^t^C^o^ur^ts^,
¹⁹⁷^7-²⁰⁰⁶^,^by^K^e^vⁱ^{n M. Sc}^ott^.

Table 7. Article III U.S. District Courts and Courts of Appeals: Number of Nominees, Number Confirmed, and Percent of
Nominees Confirmed, Five Most Recent Presidents
^{(as of O}^c^{tober 20, 2008)}
^{Court o}^f^A^ppeals^{District Courts}^a^Total^b
^President^Confirmed^Nominees^Percent^Confirmed^Nominees^Percent^Confirmed^Nominees^Percent
^Jimmy^Carter⁵⁶⁶⁰^93.3%^{202 218}^92.7%^{258 278}^92.8%
^Ronald^Reagan⁸³⁹⁴^88.3%^{290 306}^94.8%^{373 400}^93.3%
^{George H.W. Bush}⁴²⁵³^79.2%¹⁴⁸¹⁹¹^77.5%¹⁹⁰²⁴⁴^77.9%
^Bil^l^Clinton⁶⁵⁹⁰^72.2%^{305 350}^87.1%^{370 440}^84.1%
^{George W. Bush (t}^hrough^Octob^{er 2}^{0, 20}⁰⁸⁾⁶¹⁸⁵^71.8%²⁶¹²⁸⁶^91.3%³²²³⁷¹^86.8%
^Source:^{CRS Judicial Nominatio}^{ns Database}
^a.^{The district court columns}^{of this}^{table account}^{only for nominees}^{to Article III district court judges}^{hips, and not t}^{hose to t}^{erritorial district courts in the}^{U.S. Virg}ⁱⁿ
ⁱ^{ki/CRS-RL33953}^{Islands, Guam, and t}^he^Northerⁿ^{Mariana Islands. As a}^{result, the}ⁿ^umbe^{rs in t}^{hese column}^{s differ s}^{omewhat from t}^{he district co}^urt^{data prese}^{nted in Table 3 of CRS}
^g/w^{Report RL31}⁸⁶^8,^{U.S. Circuit and District Court Nominations by Presid}^{ent George W. Bush During the 107}^th^-109^th^Cong^resses^{, by}^{Denis Steven Rutk}^{us, Kevin M. Scott, and}
^s^.or^Mauree^{n Bearden, w}^{hich acco}^unt^{for nominees to t}^{he ter}^{ritorial c}^ourts.
^le^ak^b.^{Does not include nominations to the Court of}^Inte^{rnational Trade (an Article III Cou}^{rt since}¹⁹^80).

^://wiki
^h^ttp

To put Senate consideration of President George W. Bush’s lower court nominees in additional
historical context, Figures 1 (courts of appeals) and 2 (district courts) illustrate the average
number of days that have elapsed from first nomination to final action for judicial nominations
for each of the last five Presidents. Both Figures 1 and 2 separate confirmed nominees from those
who were not confirmed by the Senate (those who were rejected by the Senate or withdrawn by
the President, or whose most recent nomination was returned by the Senate and not resubmitted
by the President).
Figure 1. Average Number of Days From First Nomination to Final Senate Action,
Nominees to the U.S. Courts of Appeals, January 20, 1977-October 20, 2008
¹⁰⁰⁰
⁸⁵⁹⁹⁰⁰
⁸⁰⁰
⁷⁰⁰^ays
⁶⁰⁰^o^f^D
^er
⁴³⁹⁵⁰⁰^u^m^b
³⁵⁰³¹⁹⁴⁰⁰^{e N}
^ag
²³⁸²⁵⁷³⁰⁰^A^ver
¹⁹⁵²⁰⁰
⁶⁹⁶⁹¹⁰⁴¹⁰⁰
⁰
^C^a^r^t^er^R^eagan^G^.^H^.^W^.^B^u^s^h^C^lⁱⁿ^t^oⁿ^G^.W^.^B^u^s^h
^Pr^e^sⁱ^d^eⁿ^t
Confirmed Unc o mfi rme d
^Source:^{CRS Judicial Nominatio}^{ns Database. N}^u^m^{bers atop}^the^{bars indicate the}^average^num^ber^{of days to}
^{final action. Unconfirmed nomine}^{es include those w}^{hose nominati}^{ons were rejected}^{by t}^{he Senate,}^withdrawn^by
^{the President, or ret}^{urned to t}^h^e^{President and not}^resu^{bmitted. Data are cur}^{rent a}^s^{of Octobe}^{r 2}^{0, 20}^{08, and}
^{do not include nominees pe}^nding^{as of that date.}
Compared with recent Administrations, Figure 1 shows that President George W. Bush’s appeals
nominees experienced, on average, the highest number of days elapsed from first nomination to
final Senate action. The data presented in Figure 1 also reflect consistently increasing average
time to final action for confirmed nominees over each of the last three presidencies and increasing
average time to final action for unconfirmed nominees over each of the last four presidencies. The
average time to final action for President George W. Bush’s confirmed nominees to the courts of
appeals, 350 days, is 47% greater than the average time to final action for President Clinton’s
confirmed nominees to the courts of appeals and 407% greater than the average time to final
action for President Carter’s confirmed nominees to the courts of appeals. The average time to
final action for President George W. Bush’s unconfirmed nominees to the courts of appeals (not

including those currently pending in the Senate), 859 days, is 96% greater than the average time
to final action for President Clinton’s unconfirmed court of appeals nominees and 341% greater
than the average time to final action for President Carter’s unconfirmed court of appeals
nominees.
Figure 2. Average Number of Days from First Nomination to Final Senate Action,
Nominees to the Article III U.S. District Courts, January 20, 1977-October 20, 2008
⁶⁰⁰
⁵²⁰
⁵⁰⁰
⁴⁰⁰
⁴⁰⁰^ays
^D
^o^f
^er
³⁰⁰^u^m^b
^g^{e N}
^r^a
¹⁷⁸¹⁷⁰¹⁹⁵¹⁷⁶²⁰⁰^A^v^e
¹³⁶
¹⁰³
⁷¹⁶⁸¹⁰⁰
⁰
^C^a^r^t^e^r^Re^a^g^aⁿ^G^.^H.^W^.^B^u^s^h^Clⁱⁿ^t^oⁿ^G^.^W^.^B^u^s^h
^P^r^esⁱ^d^en^t
Confirmed Unc o mfi rme d
^Source:^{CRS Judicial Nominatio}^{ns Database. N}^u^m^{bers atop}^the^{bars indicate the}^average^num^ber^{of days to}
^{final action. Unconfirmed nomine}^{es include those w}^{hose nominati}^{ons were rejected}^{by t}^{he Senate,}^withdrawn^by
^{the President, or ret}^{urned to t}^h^e^{President and not}^resu^{bmitted. Data are cur}^{rent a}^s^{of Octobe}^{r 2}^{0, 20}^{08, and}
^{do not include nominees pe}^nding^{as of that date.}
Many of the patterns observed in time to final action for court of appeals nominees can also be
observed in time to final action for district court nominees. Compared with recent
Administrations, Figure 2 shows that President George W. Bush’s district nominees experienced,
on average, the highest number of days elapsed from first nomination to final Senate action. The
data presented in Figure 2 also demonstrate consistently increasing average time to final action
for confirmed nominees over each of the last three presidencies and increasing average time to
final action for unconfirmed nominees over each of the last two presidencies. The average time to
final action for President George W. Bush’s confirmed nominees to the district courts, 178 days, is
31% greater than the average time to final action for President Clinton’s confirmed nominees to
the district courts and 151% greater than the average time to final action for President Carter’s
confirmed nominees to the district courts. The average time to final action for President George

W. Bush’s unconfirmed nominees to the district courts (not including those currently pending in
the Senate), 520 days, is 30% greater than the average time to final action for President Clinton’s
unconfirmed district court nominees and 206% greater than the average time to final action for
President Carter’s unconfirmed district court nominees.

Under the Constitution of the United States, the President and the Senate share the responsibility ²⁰
for filling vacancies in the federal judiciary. While it is the President who nominates persons to
fill federal judgeships, the appointment of each nominee also requires Senate confirmation.
Although not mentioned in the Constitution, the Senate Judiciary Committee also plays an
important role midway in the process—after the President selects, but before the Senate as a
whole considers, the nominee. It is the Judiciary Committee in the Senate that has committee
jurisdiction over most federal judicial nominations—namely, those to the Supreme Court, the
courts of appeals, the district courts (including the territorial district courts), the U.S. Court of ²¹
International Trade, and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.
The need for the President to make a nomination to an Article III court judgeship arises when a
vacancy occurs on the court, due to the death, retirement, or resignation of a judge (or when a ²²
judge announces the intention to retire or resign). In considering judicial candidates for possible ²³
nomination, the President frequently receives recommendations from U.S. Senators. By
longstanding custom, dating back to the mid-1800s, Senators of the President’s party have
provided Presidents such advice, recommending candidates for judgeships situated in their states ²⁴
or linked by tradition to their states. Also by custom, Senators not of the President’s party play a
consultative role and may convey to the President their views about candidates under ²⁵
consideration for judgeships in their states. The judgeships for which a Senator ordinarily
recommends nominees, or is consulted, are those in the U.S. district court or courts which

²⁰^A^r^tic^le^{II, Se}^c^tion^{2, c}^l^a^u^se²^of^t^h^e^Const^itutⁱ^oⁿ^pr^ov^ide^s^tha^t^the^P^r^e^s^ideⁿ^{t “}^s^ha^ll^nom^ina^t^e^,^aⁿ^d^by^a^{nd w}^{ith t}^h^e
^A^d^vⁱ^c^e^a^{nd Co}^ns^eⁿ^{t of}^the^Se^na^te^{, s}^h^a^{ll a}^p^poi^nt^{... J}^udg^e^s^of^the^s^u^pre^m^e^{Court, a}^{nd a}^l^l^ot^he^{r O}^f^fⁱ^c^e^r^s^of^the^Uⁿ^ite^d
^Sta^t^e^s^{, w}^hos^e^A^ppointm^e^nts^a^r^e^{not he}^reⁱⁿ^ot^he^rw^is^e^prov^ide^d^f^o^r,^a^{nd w}^h^ic^{h s}^h^a^ll^be^e^s^ta^blis^he^{d by}^L^a^w^....”
²¹^N^o^mⁱ^na^tions^t^o^t^h^e^C^our^{t of}^A^ppe^a^l^s^f^o^r^the^A^r^m^e^{d For}^c^e^s^f^a^ll^w^ithin^the^j^u^risdic^ti^on^of^the^Se^na^te^A^r^m^e^{d Se}^rv^ic^e^s
^Com^m^itte^e^;^nom^ina^{tions to}^the^U.^{S. T}^a^x^{Court f}^a^{ll w}^ithin^the^J^u^risd^ic^tion^of^the^Se^na^te^Fⁱ^na^nc^e^Com^m^itte^e^;^a^nd
^nom^ina^tions^{to t}^h^e^C^o^ur^t^of^A^ppe^a^l^s^f^o^r^Ve^te^r^a^ns^C^l^aⁱ^m^s^f^a^ll^w^{ithin the}^juris^d^ic^tio^{n of}^the^Se^na^te^Ve^te^ra^{ns’ Affa}^irs
^Com^m^itte^e^.
²²^A^va^can^c^y^al^so^w^o^u^l^d^o^ccu^{r i}^f^{a j}^u^d^g^{e w}^a^{s re}^m^o^v^e^d^b^y^Coⁿ^g^{ress t}^h^rou^g^h^t^h^eⁱ^m^p^each^m^eⁿ^t^p^r^o^cess,^b^u^t^hⁱ^st^o^rⁱ^cal^l^y
^su^ch^o^ccu^rren^{ces h}^a^{ve b}^een^ext^r^emel^y^rare.^S^p^eci^fⁱ^cal^l^y^,ⁱⁿ^o^u^rⁿ^a^tⁱ^oⁿ^’^s^hⁱ^st^o^r^y^,^“t^h^e^{re h}^a^{ve b}^een^{15 i}^m^p^each^m^eⁿ^t
^t^rⁱ^a^l^sⁱⁿ^th^{e S}^eⁿ^a^t^e^,¹¹^agaiⁿ^s^t^j^udges.^S^e^ven^t^rⁱ^a^l^s^h^a^{ve r}^e^su^l^t^e^dⁱⁿ^coⁿ^vⁱ^c^tⁱ^oⁿ^s^{, al}^l^agaiⁿ^s^t^j^u^d^g^es.^”^C^R^S^R^e^p^o^r^t
^R^L³²⁹³^5,^C^o^ng^ressioⁿ^a^{l Oversig}^h^t^of^Jud^g^e^{s an}^{d Ju}^stⁱ^ces^,^b^y^E^lⁱ^zab^et^h^B.^Bazan^and^Mo^rt^oⁿ^R^o^sen^b^e^rg.
²³^Se^e^C^R^S^R^e^por^{t R}^L³⁴⁴⁰⁵^,^R^o^le^{of H}^o^m^e^State^Seⁿ^a^tor^sⁱⁿ^t^h^e^Se^l^e^c^{tion o}^f^L^o^w^e^r^Fe^de^r^a^{l C}^our^{t J}^u^dge^s^{, by}^D^e^nis
^S^t^even^Ru^t^k^u^s^.
²⁴^A^sc^hola^r^{on t}^h^e^Se^na^te^{’s r}^o^leⁱⁿ^judicⁱ^a^l^a^p^p^o^intm^eⁿ^ts^{, w}^r^itingⁱⁿ¹⁹⁵^3,^de^sc^ribe^d^the^“^w^e^ll-e^s^ta^blishe^{d c}^u^st^om^,
^w^hⁱ^c^h^h^a^{s p}^r^evai^l^e^d^siⁿ^{ce ab}^ou^t¹⁸⁴⁰^,^”^w^h^ereiⁿ^U.^S^.^dⁱ^st^ri^ct^j^u^d^g^{es “are n}^o^r^m^a^l^l^y^sel^ect^ed^b^y^sen^a^t^o^r^s^f^r^o^m^t^h^{e st}^at^{e i}ⁿ
^w^hⁱ^c^h^t^h^{e d}ⁱ^st^ri^ctⁱ^s^si^t^u^at^ed,^p^r^o^vⁱ^d^ed^t^h^ey^b^e^l^oⁿ^g^t^o^t^h^{e sam}^e^p^a^rt^y^{as t}^h^{e P}^r^esi^d^en^t^.^{” By}^coⁿ^t^rast^,^t^h^e^P^r^esi^d^en^t^w^a^s
^sai^d^t^o^h^a^{ve “a}^m^u^ch^f^r^{eer h}^aⁿ^dⁱⁿ^t^h^{e sel}^ectⁱ^oⁿ^o^f^j^u^d^g^{es t}^o^t^h^{e ci}^r^c^uⁱ^t^co^urt^s^o^f^ap^p^eal^s,^w^h^o^s^{e d}ⁱ^st^rⁱ^ct^{s co}^{ver sev}^e^ral
^s^t^a^t^e^s^....”^J^o^s^e^ph^{P. H}^a^rris^,^T^h^{e A}^d^vi^{ce a}ⁿ^d^Con^s^en^t^o^f^t^h^{e S}^e^na^t^e⁽^B^e^r^k^e^le^y^,^C^A^{: Univ}^e^r^sit^y^o^f^Ca^li^fornia^P^r^e^ss,¹⁹^53;
^r^e^pr^int,^N^e^w^Y^o^r^k^:^G^r^e^eⁿ^w^ood^Pr^e^s^s^,¹⁹⁶⁸⁾^,^p.³¹^{4, (}^p^a^g^e^c^ita^tion^s^a^r^e^{to the}^r^e^p^r^int^e^d^iti^on)^{. Se}^e^a^l^s^o^{, f}^o^r^m^o^r^e^r^ecen^t
^dis^c^us^sⁱ^on^of^the^c^o^nti^nui^ng^r^o^le^pla^y^e^d^b^y^Se^na^tor^s^{in r}^e^c^o^m^m^e^nding^ju^dicⁱ^a^l^c^a^ndi^da^te^s^,^She^l^doⁿ^G^o^ldm^a^n,^Pⁱ^ckiⁿ^g
^Fe^de^r^a^{l J}^u^dge^s^:^L^o^w^e^r^C^our^t^Se^l^e^c^{tion fr}^om^Ro^os^e^v^e^{lt Thr}^o^ug^{h R}^e^agaⁿ^(New^Hav^eⁿ^,^CT^{: Yale Un}^iversit^y^P^r^ess,
¹⁹⁹⁷⁾⁽ⁱⁿ^each^p^r^esi^d^en^cy^ch^ap^t^e^r,^uⁿ^d^e^{r t}^h^{e h}^eadⁱⁿ^{g “S}^en^at^o^r^{s and S}^e^l^ectⁱ^oⁿ^”^).
²⁵^Se^e^C^R^S^R^e^por^{t R}^L³²⁰¹³^,^T^h^e^Hi^st^o^r^{y o}^f^t^h^{e B}^l^u^e^S^lⁱ^pⁱⁿ^t^h^{e S}^e^na^t^e^Co^mmi^t^t^{ee on}^t^h^{e Ju}^di^ci^a^r^y,¹⁹¹⁷^-P^resen^t^{, by}
^Mitc^he^{l A}^.^Solle^nbe^rg^e^r^{. Se}^e^a^l^so^Ellio^{t E.}^Slo^t^nic^k^{, “}^A^Historic^a^l^P^e^rspe^c^tiv^e^oⁿ^Fe^de^ra^{l Ju}^dicⁱ^a^l^S^e^le^c^tion,”
^J^udic^a^t^u^r^e^,^v^o^l.⁸⁶^{, J}^u^ly^-^A^ug^us^t²⁰⁰^{2, w}^h^e^r^e^,^a^t^p^.¹³^,^the^a^u^t^hor^obs^e^r^v^e^s^tha^t^the^blue^s^lⁱ^p^pr^oc^e^d^ur^e^of^the^Se^na^te
^Ju^dⁱ^ci^ary^Co^mmⁱ^t^t^{ee “h}^as^w^o^rked^t^o^en^s^u^{re t}^h^at^h^o^m^{e st}^at^{e sen}^a^t^o^{rs o}^f^b^o^t^{h p}^a^rtⁱ^e^s,^w^h^et^h^e^{r o}^r^no^t^t^h^ey^ar^{e o}^f^t^h^e
^p^r^esi^d^en^t^’^s^p^a^rt^y^,^h^a^{ve so}^m^e^sa^y^w^h^en^j^u^d^g^{es are b}^eⁱⁿ^{g n}^o^mⁱⁿ^at^{ed f}^r^o^m^t^h^ei^{r st}^at^e.^”

geographically fall within the Senator’s state and the U.S. court of appeals circuit of which the
Senator’s state is a geographic part—provided the circuit judgeship historically has been ²⁶
associated with the Senator’s state.
After selecting someone to fill a judicial vacancy, the President formally submits a nomination in ²⁷
writing to the Senate. Usually on the same day it is received by the Senate, the nomination is
referred to the Judiciary Committee. The committee’s first formal public step is to hold a hearing
on a nomination. The committee subsequently meets again to vote on whether to report the
nomination to the full Senate. A committee vote to report (even a vote to report with an
unfavorable recommendation) sends the nomination forward to be considered by the Senate as a
whole, while a vote against reporting (historically, a very rare occurrence) prevents the
nomination from going forward, and in effect defeats the nomination in committee. The next step
in the appointment process occurs when the Senate votes to confirm or disapprove the
nomination. A vote to confirm requires a simple majority of Senators present and voting.
If the Senate votes to confirm the nomination, the Secretary of the Senate then attests to a ²⁸
resolution of confirmation and transmits it to the White House. In turn, the President signs a
document, called a commission, officially appointing the individual to the court. The signed
commission is then “returned to the Justice Department for engraving the date of appointment
(determined by the actual day the president signs the commission) and for the signature of the ²⁹
attorney general and the placing of the Justice Department seal.” Once the President has signed
the commission, the incoming judge is eligible to be sworn into office. The new judge actually
takes two oaths of office—a judicial oath, as required by the Judiciary Act of 1789, and a
constitutional oath, which, as required by Article VI of the Constitution, is administered to
Members of Congress and all executive and judicial officers.
As with nominations in general, judicial nominations sometimes fail to advance through each
procedural step in the appointment process. After referral to committee, a nomination might not
receive a hearing or, after receiving a hearing, might not receive a committee vote on whether it
should be reported. Even if favorably reported by committee, a nomination might not receive a
vote by the Senate on whether to confirm. The majority leader might not schedule a vote, or some
Senators might oppose taking such a vote and a “super-majority” of three-fifths of the full ³⁰
membership of the Senate would be needed to invoke cloture on the nomination. If a
nomination fails to receive a Senate vote on confirmation, it ultimately will be either withdrawn

²⁶^A^P^r^e^s^ideⁿ^t^is^g^e^ne^r^a^lly^be^lie^ve^{d inc}^line^d^t^o^a^v^{oid s}^e^le^c^ting^a^j^udi^cⁱ^a^l^nom^ine^e^opp^os^e^d^by^a^hom^e^-^s^t^a^t^e^Se^na^tor^of
^t^h^e^P^r^esi^d^en^t^’^s^p^a^rt^y^—^gi^v^eⁿ^t^h^{e cu}^st^o^m^o^f^“sen^at^o^rⁱ^a^l^co^u^r^t^e^sy^,^”^wh^ereiⁿ^t^h^{e S}^eⁿ^a^t^e^,^{as a co}^l^l^e^gi^al^bo^d^y^,^cu^st^o^m^ari^l^y
^supp^{orts Se}^na^{tors i}ⁿ^dⁱ^spu^t^e^s^wⁱ^t^h^th^e^Pre^s^ideⁿ^t^ov^e^r^ju^dicⁱ^a^l^a^p^p^oⁱ^ntm^e^{nts in the}ⁱ^r^sta^t^e^.^T^w^{o sc}^hola^r^{s ha}^v^e^w^r^itteⁿ
^t^h^at^,^{as a resu}^l^t^o^f^t^hⁱ^s^cu^st^o^m^,^S^eⁿ^a^t^o^{rs o}^f^t^h^e^P^r^esi^d^en^t^’^s^p^a^rt^y^“^w^h^o^o^b^j^ect^t^o^a^dⁱ^st^ri^ct^j^u^d^g^eshⁱ^{p i}ⁿ^t^h^ei^r^h^o^m^{e st}^at^e
^ha^v^e^a^vⁱ^r^t^ua^{l v}^e^{to ov}^e^r^theⁿ^o^mⁱ^na^tio^n.”^R^o^be^r^t^A^.^C^a^r^p^aⁿ^d^R^o^na^{ld St}^id^ha^m^,^Ju^dⁱ^ci^a^l^P^r^o^{cess i}ⁿ^A^m^eri^c^a^{, 3d e}^d^.
⁽^W^a^s^hing^{ton: C}^Q^P^r^e^s^s^,¹⁹⁹⁶⁾^,^p.²⁴^7.
²⁷^{For a}^de^ta^ile^{d e}^x^a^m^ina^{tion of}^the^proc^e^d^ure^s^f^o^llow^e^{d by}^Se^na^te^c^o^m^m^itte^e^s^a^{nd the}^f^u^ll^Se^na^teⁱⁿ^c^onside^rⁱⁿ^g
^nom^ina^tions^{in g}^e^ne^r^a^{l, s}^e^e^C^R^S^R^e^por^{t R}^L³¹⁹⁸^0,^Se^na^te^C^o^ns^ide^r^atio^{n o}^f^Pr^e^s^ideⁿ^ti^{al N}^o^mⁱⁿ^a^ti^on^s^:^C^o^m^m^itte^e^an^d
^Floor^Pr^oc^e^dur^e^,^b^y^E^lⁱ^zab^et^h^R^y^bⁱ^c^kⁱ^.^F^o^{r a}^dⁱ^agra^mm^atⁱ^c^o^v^er^vi^ew^o^f^p^r^o^ced^u^r^{es f}^o^l^l^o^w^e^d^b^y^t^h^{e S}^eⁿ^a^t^e^Ju^di^ci^ary
^C^o^m^m^itte^e^a^{nd the}^f^u^{ll Se}^na^teⁱⁿ^c^ons^ide^rⁱⁿ^g^dis^t^rⁱ^c^t^aⁿ^{d c}ⁱ^r^c^ui^{t c}^o^ur^{t n}^o^mⁱ^na^tions^,^s^e^e^C^R^S^R^e^por^t^R^S²¹⁷³^5,^U.^S^.
^Dⁱ^s^t^rⁱ^c^t^an^{d C}ⁱ^r^c^uit^C^our^t^N^o^mⁱⁿ^a^tio^ns^:^{A D}ⁱ^agr^am^of^C^u^s^t^om^ar^y^Pr^oc^e^dur^e^s^{, by}^Mitc^he^{l A}^.^Solleⁿ^b^e^r^g^e^r.
²⁸^I^f^{, on t}^h^e^ot^he^r^haⁿ^d^,^the^Se^na^te^v^o^te^s^{in the}^ne^g^a^tiv^e^{on w}^h^e^t^he^r^t^o^c^onf^ir^m^,^the^nom^ina^tio^{n is}^de^f^e^a^t^e^d^{, a}ⁿ^d^a
^r^e^s^o^luti^on^of^dis^a^ppr^ov^a^l^is^f^o^r^w^ar^de^{d t}^o^t^h^e^P^r^e^s^ideⁿ^t^.
²⁹^S^h^el^do^{n G}^o^l^d^m^aⁿ^,^Pic^kⁱ^{ng Fe}^de^r^a^{l J}^u^d^g^e^s^:^Low^e^r^C^our^t^Se^le^c^tio^{n fr}^om^R^oos^e^v^e^{lt T}^h^r^o^ug^{h Re}^a^g^aⁿ^(New^Ha^v^eⁿ^,
^C^T^{: Y}^a^le^Uⁿ^iv^e^r^sⁱ^t^y^P^r^e^s^s^,¹⁹⁹⁷⁾^,^p.^12.
³⁰^Se^e^C^R^S^R^e^por^{t R}^L³²⁸⁷⁸^,^Cl^otu^r^e^Atte^{mpts o}ⁿ^Nomi^nat^io^ns^,^b^y^Ri^ch^ard^S^.^Bet^h^and^Bet^s^y^P^a^l^m^er.

by the President or returned to the President by the Secretary of the Senate upon a Senate ³¹
adjournment or recess of more than 30 days. The Senate may, by unanimous consent, carry
nominations over a recess of more than 30 days.
^D^eⁿⁱ^{s St}^e^v^eⁿ^Rut^k^us ^Mau^r^een^B^earden
^Specialis^{t on}^t^h^{e Federal J}^u^diciar^y^In^f^o^r^m^a^tion^R^e^s^earch^Specialⁱ^s^t
^s^r^u^t^k^u^s@^crs^.^l^o^c.g^o^v^,^7-⁷¹⁶²^m^b^eardeⁿ^@^crs^.^l^o^c.^g^o^v^,^7-⁸⁹⁵⁵

³¹^R^u^le^X^XXI^{, pa}^r^a^g^r^a^ph^6,^S^t^an^din^g^Ru^l^e^{s of}^t^h^e^S^e^na^t^e^,^pr^ov^ide^s^{, i}ⁿ^pa^r^t^,^tha^t^“ⁱ^f^the^Se^na^te^s^h^a^{ll a}^d^j^our^{n or}^ta^k^e^a
^r^e^c^e^s^s^f^o^r^m^o^r^e^thaⁿ^t^h^ir^ty^da^y^s^{, a}^{ll n}^o^mⁱ^na^tions^pe^ndi^ng^aⁿ^dⁿ^o^{t f}ⁱ^na^lly^a^c^t^e^d^upon^a^t^the^tⁱ^m^e^of^taking^s^u^c^h
^ad^j^o^u^rⁿ^m^en^t^o^r^{recess sh}^al^l^b^e^ret^u^rn^ed^b^y^t^h^{e S}^ecret^ar^y^t^o^t^h^e^P^r^esⁱ^d^en^t^and^s^h^al^l^no^t^agaiⁿ^b^e^coⁿ^sⁱ^d^ered^un^l^e^{ss t}^h^ey
^sha^{ll a}^g^aⁱ^{n be}^m^a^de^{to the}^Se^na^te^by^the^P^r^e^s^ideⁿ^t.”