A problem “30 years in the making”
On Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet held a hearing on the need for new lower federal court judgeships, a problem the hearing’s title deemed [1] “30 years in the making.”
It is certainly true that lower federal courts specifically federal district courts desperately need more full-time judges. Congress has not passed [2] an omnibus judgeship bill since 1990 and has only added [3] 34 district court judgeships through other legislative means during the same period. This 4 percent increase in judgeships fails to make up for the significant growth in population and caseloads during the same time. Since 1991, total filings in district courts have grown by 39 percent. These filings include increased civil rights filings, prisoner petitions and social security cases. Notably, the criminal docket has too exploded, increasing 60 percent since Congress last took significant
But 21 new groups signed onto the letter that went to the House Judiciary subcommittee on Tuesday including the Center for American Progress, NARAL Pro-Choice America and the The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights underscoring the boost in support.
The Judicial Conference, a policymaking body for the judiciary that is overseen by Chief Justice John Roberts, recommended in 2019 that Congress create five new seats for the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and 65 new positions for the district courts.
The progressive groups, however, are urging lawmakers to go beyond the recommendations, calling them insufficient to match the United States s growth in population and the increase in caseloads.
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