Prof. Carl Tobias on Federal Judicial Vacancies

October 23, 2009

Williams Professor of Law Carl Tobias wants some empty seats filled.

A long-time scholar and observer of the judicial selection process, Prof. Tobias has in recent months become increasingly vocal about Congress' glacial pace in filling the 95 current court vacancies around the nation. Since President Obama took office and the present Congress convened, only three district or court of appeals judges have been confirmed.

And apparently he has the ear of Congress, or more specifically Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy. On October 21, in a statement to the Committee, Sen. Leahy read into the record substantial portions of a piece Prof. Tobias wrote for the McClatchy newspaper chain in which he discussed the gravity of the vacancies in the Second Circuit.

This is but one of a number of op-ed pieces and newspaper quotes Prof. Tobias has lately contributed on this topic. Other highlights include writings in The Washington Post, Findlaw, The Baltimore Sun and The National Law Journal.