President Obama's Judicial Nominees

Quick Facts PRESIDENT OBAMA'S JUDICIAL NOMINEES: HISTORIC SUCCESSES + HISTORIC DELAYS THE WHITE HOSE Building a Supreme Court for the 21st Century President Obama's historic Supreme Court nominations reflect the qualities he has identified in all of his judicial nominees - integrity, intellect and an abiding commitment to equal justice under the law. Hon. Sonia Sotomayor Hon. Elena Kagan Associate Justice Associate Justice Confirmation Date: August 6, 2009 Confirmation Date: August 7, 2010 We celebrate the impact Justice Sotomayor has already had on people across America who have been inspired by her exceptional life story. We celebrate the greatness of a country in which such a story is possible. And we celebrate how, with their overwhelming vote to confirm "For nearly two centuries, there wasn't a single woman on the Supreme Court. When Elena was a clerk, there was just one. But when she takes her seat on that bench, for the first time in history, there will be three women serving on our nation's highest court. It is, as Justice Ginsburg recently put it, 'one of the most exhilarating developments' - a sign of progress that I relish not just as a father who wants limitless possibilities for my daughters, but as an American proud that our Supreme Court will be a little more inclusive, a little more representative, more reflective of us as a Justice Sotomayor, the United States Senate Republicans and Democrats - tore down yet one more barrier and affirmed our belief that in America, the doors of opportunity must be open to all." people than ever before. -President Obama - President Obama TEFE EFEE TEEE- TEEE EFE Creating A Judicial Pool that Resembles the Nation It Serves President Obama's nominees embody an unprecedented commitment to expanding the racial, gender and experiential diversity of the men and women who enforce our laws and deliver justice. President's Confirmed Judges Judicial FIRSTS Under President Obama 1"| Latina on the Supreme Court Obama Bush Clinton WOMEN TH Openly gay man confirmed to a 1"| federal district court 47% 23% 29% Women nominees of Chinese, Korean 1"I and Vietnamese descent Obama Bush Clinton AFRICAN AMERICANS 21% 16% Openly Obama has gay judges: 4 Nominated doubled the number of Asian-Americans on the bench Obama Bush Clinton HISPANICS 11% 9% 7% Confirmed If confirmed. the only Native American on the federal bench Obama Bush Clinton ASIAN AMERICANS including the only active Asian American Circuit Court 7% 1% judge The Confirmation Process Each nominee goes through the following steps before being confirmed. O Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing to review the nominee's record and qualifications. Senators ask questions of the nominee. O The President consults with Senators and seeks their advice. O The President nominates someone to the position. President Obama has consulted with both Republican and Democratic Senators prior to each selection. ALL 155 of President Obama's nominees have been rated well qualified or qualified by the American Bar Association 155 federal judicial nominees named by President Obama O The Judiciary Committee votes on the nomination, and makes a recommendation (reported positively. rejected, or no recommendation). O The full Senate debates the nomination. Senators can filibuster a nominee, requiring a vote of 3/5 to end debate, or threaten a filibuster, causing needless delay. O When debate ends, the Senate votes on the nomination. Confirmation requires a simple majority of the Senators present and voting. 93% received bipartisan support in Committee. 97 out of 155 of President Obama's nominees have been confirmed 20 10 would fill judicial nominees waiting for the Senate to vote emergencies Delays in the Senate The rising number of judicial vacancies is a direct result of unprecedented delays in the Senate confirmation process. Average Wait Time Between Judiciary Committee Vote and Confirmation V Percentage of all Nominees Confirmed Carter 92.8% Reagan 93.3% CIRCUIT COURT CANDIDATES Bush I 77.9% Clinton 84.2% Obama 151 DAYS Bush 29 DAYS Bush II 86.8% Obama 62.6% (97 of 15s) Source CRS Audi Nominations Daabase DISTRICT COURT CANDIDATES 97: Number of judges Confirmed "A minority of Senators has systematically and irresponsibly Obama 103 used procedural maneuvers to block or delay confirmation votes on judicial nominees," Bush 20 DAYS TT TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT TT DAYS same point in the Presidency TTTTTTTTTITTTTTITTTT TTTTTTTTTTTTTTIITIIT TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT Longest wait for one of President Obama's - President Obama Judicial confirmations 20: Passed Committee, haven't had Senate vote TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTITITT 21 MONTHS 16 of those were reported by T Committee unanimously Source DOJ The Consequences for America Americans deserve fair and timely judicial proceedings but the rising number of judicial vacancies hurts families and businesses by delaying critical court proceedings and increasing costs, adding uncertainty, squeezing family budgets and preventing businesses from investing and creating jobs. 1 of 10 Delays Hurt Businesses and Taxpayers Average Wait in 2009 for a Civil Litigant's Jury Trial Wait in 2010 for 15.9% (45.411) of all Civil Cases for a Resolution A A A A A 25.3 MONTHS OVER Federal Judgeships is Vacant 3 YRS "Things are even slower on the civil side. If you're a company or an individual involved in a federal lawsuit, you can expect to be cooling your heels for two years before the trial begins. That's two years of cost and uncertainty." Judicial Vacancies are Growing Instead of Shrinking In 2006 only 6.6% (17,466) of all civil cases had to wait 3 years for a resolution 2009 2011 December 2010 Federal Court Management Statistics for alUS. Dutriet Courts 55 91 Fewer Federal Judges Means Even More Waiting Time for Trials - Chicago Tribune Editorial, 4/18/11 "Vacancies cannot remain at such high levels indefinitely without eroding the quality of justice that traditionally has been associated with the federal judiciary." $1.4 billion The number of vacancies President Bush had at this point in his Presidency the cost to the federal government in 2010 for detention of inmates before their trials - Chief Justice Roberts, 2010 Year-End Report on the Federal Judiciary 52 Source DOJ WHITEHOUSE.GOV MADE ON AUGUST 17, 2011