Jim Sensenbrenner: “Mr. Chairman, the Judicial Conference of the United States reviews the judgeship needs of United States courts every 2…”

“Mr. Chairman, the Judicial Conference of the United States reviews the judgeship needs of United States courts every 2 years to determine if any of the courts need additional judges. The Conference completed its last review in March of 2003, and then submitted its recommendations to the House and Senate Committees on the Judiciary. I am pleased that the bill as reported by the Committee mirrors that recommendation. Thus, these are judgeships being created based upon demonstrated need and not upon politics. The Judicial Conference bases its recommendations on a variety of factors that indicate the needs of various courts. Most importantly, it sets a benchmark caseload standard for considering judgeship requests at 430 weighted cases for individual judges on the district courts and 500 adjusted case filings for the three-judge panels on the courts of appeal. Aside from the numbers, it also considers additional criteria, including senior judge and magistrate judge assistance, geographical factors, unusual caseload complexity, and temporary caseload increases or decreases. Based on these criteria, the Conference's current proposal recommends that Congress establish 11 new judgeships in four courts of appeal and 46 new judgeships in 24 district courts. The Conference also recommends that five temporary district court judgeships created in 1990 be established as permanent positions.”