II 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1653 

To provide for the appointment of additional Federal circuit and district 

judges, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 8, 2009 

Mr. LEAHY (for himself, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. KAUFMAN, Mr. FRANKEN, Mr. HARKIN, Mr. 

BINGAMAN, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. BROWN, Mr. BAYH, Mr. BENNET, Mrs. 

BOXER, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. INOUYE, Mr. KERRY, and Mr. AKAKA) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To provide for the appointment of additional Federal circuit 

and district judges, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Federal Judgeship Act 

5 of 2009’’. 


jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 1653 IS

1 SEC. 2. CIRCUIT JUDGES FOR THE CIRCUIT COURTS OF AP2 PEALS. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall appoint, by 

4 and with the advice and consent of the Senate— 

5 (1) 1 additional circuit judge for the first cir6 cuit court of appeals; 

7 (2) 2 additional circuit judges for the second 

8 circuit court of appeals; 

9 (3) 1 additional circuit judge for the third cir10 cuit court of appeals; 

11 (4) 1 additional circuit judge for the sixth cir12 cuit court of appeals; and 

13 (5) 4 additional circuit judges for the ninth cir14 cuit court of appeals. 

15 (b) TEMPORARY JUDGESHIPS.—The President shall 

16 appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Sen17 ate— 

18 (1) 1 additional circuit judge for the third cir19 cuit court of appeals; 

20 (2) 1 additional circuit judge for the eighth cir21 cuit court of appeals; and 

22 (3) 1 additional circuit judge for the ninth cir23 cuit court of appeals. 

24 For each of the judicial circuits named in this subsection, 

25 the first vacancy arising on the circuit court 10 years or 

26 more after a judge is first confirmed to fill the temporary 


jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 1653 IS

1 circuit judgeship created in that circuit by this subsection 

2 shall not be filled. 

3 (c) TABLES.—In order that the table contained in 

4 section 44 of title 28, United States Code, will, with re5 spect to each judicial circuit, reflect the changes in the 

6 total number of permanent circuit judgeships authorized 

7 as a result of subsection (a) of this section, such table 

8 is amended to read as follows: 

‘‘Circuits Number 

of judges 

District of Columbia ....................................................................... 11

First ................................................................................................ 7

Second ............................................................................................ 15

Third ............................................................................................... 15

Fourth ............................................................................................ 15

Fifth ............................................................................................... 17

Sixth ............................................................................................... 17

Seventh ........................................................................................... 11

Eighth ............................................................................................. 11

Ninth .............................................................................................. 33

Tenth .............................................................................................. 12

Eleventh .......................................................................................... 12

Federal ............................................................................................ 12.’’. 

9 SEC. 3. DISTRICT JUDGES FOR THE DISTRICT COURTS. 

10 (a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall appoint, by 

11 and with the advice and consent of the Senate— 

12 (1) 1 additional district judge for the district of 

13 Arizona; 

14 (2) 4 additional district judges for the northern 

15 district of California; 

16 (3) 4 additional district judges for the eastern 

17 district of California; 


jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 1653 IS

1 (4) 4 additional district judges for the central 

2 district of California; 

3 (5) 1 additional district judge for the district of 

4 Colorado; 

5 (6) 4 additional district judges for the middle 

6 district of Florida; 

7 (7) 3 additional district judges for the southern 

8 district of Florida; 

9 (8) 1 additional district judge for the southern 

10 district of Indiana; 

11 (9) 1 additional district judge for the district of 

12 Minnesota; 

13 (10) 1 additional district judge for the district 

14 of New Jersey; 

15 (11) 1 additional district judge for the district 

16 of New Mexico; 

17 (12) 1 additional district judge for the southern 

18 district of New York; 

19 (13) 1 additional district judge for the eastern 

20 district of New York; 

21 (14) 1 additional district judge for the western 

22 district of New York; 

23 (15) 1 additional district judge for the district 

24 of Oregon; 


jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
5 

•S 1653 IS

1 (16) 1 additional district judge for the district 

2 of South Carolina; 

3 (17) 1 additional district judge for the eastern 

4 district of Texas; 

5 (18) 2 additional district judges for the south6 ern district of Texas; 

7 (19) 4 additional district judges for the western 

8 district of Texas; and 

9 (20) 1 additional district judge for the western 

10 district of Washington. 

11 (b) TEMPORARY JUDGESHIPS.—The President shall 

12 appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Sen13 ate— 

14 (1) 1 additional district judge for the middle 

15 district of Alabama; 

16 (2) 1 additional district judge for the district of 

17 Arizona; 

18 (3) 1 additional district judge for the northern 

19 district of California; 

20 (4) 1 additional district judge for the eastern 

21 district of California; 

22 (5) 1 additional district judge for the central 

23 district of California; 

24 (6) 1 additional district judge for the middle 

25 district of Florida; 


jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
6 

•S 1653 IS

1 (7) 1 additional district judge for the district of 

2 Idaho; 

3 (8) 1 additional district judge for the northern 

4 district of Iowa; 

5 (9) 1 additional district judge for the district of 

6 Minnesota; 

7 (10) 1 additional district judge for the district 

8 of Nebraska; 

9 (11) 1 additional district judge for the southern 

10 district of New York; 

11 (12) 1 additional district judge for the eastern 

12 district of New York; and 

13 (13) 1 additional district judge for the eastern 

14 district of Virginia. 

15 For each of the judicial districts named in this subsection, 

16 the first vacancy arising on the district court 10 years or 

17 more after a judge is first confirmed to fill the temporary 

18 district judgeship created in that district by this sub19 section shall not be filled. 

20 (c) EXISTING JUDGESHIPS.— 

21 (1) The existing judgeships for the district of 

22 Kansas, and the eastern district of Missouri author23 ized by section 203(c) of the Judicial Improvements 

24 Act of 1990 (Public Law 101–650; 104 Stat. 5089) 

25 as amended by Public Law 111–8 (relating to the 


jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
7 

•S 1653 IS

1 district of Kansas) and Public Law 109–115 (relat2 ing to the eastern district of Missouri), and the ex3 isting judgeships for the district of Arizona, the dis4 trict of New Mexico, and the eastern district of 

5 Texas authorized by section 312(c) of the 21st Cen6 tury Department of Justice Appropriations Author7 ization Act (Public Law 107–273, 116 Stat. 1758), 

8 as of the effective date of this Act, shall be author9 ized under section 133 of title 28, United States 

10 Code, and the incumbents in those offices shall hold 

11 the office under section 133 of title 28, United 

12 States Code, as amended by this Act. 

13 (2) The existing judgeship for the northern dis14 trict of Ohio authorized by section 203(c) of the Ju15 dicial Improvements Act of 1990 (Public Law 101– 

16 650, 104 Stat. 5089) as amended by Public Law 

17 111–8, as of the effective date of this Act, shall be 

18 extended. The first vacancy in the office of district 

19 judge in this district occurring 23 years or more 

20 after the confirmation date of the judge named to 

21 fill the temporary judgeship created by section 

22 302(c) shall not be filled. 

23 (d) TABLES.—In order that the table contained in 

24 section 133 of title 28, United States Code, will, with re25 spect to each judicial district, reflect the changes in the 


jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
8 

•S 1653 IS

1 total number of permanent district judgeships authorized 

2 as a result of subsections (a) and (c) of this section, such 

3 table is amended to read as follows: 

‘‘Districts Judges 

Alabama: 

Northern ....................................................................................... 7

Middle ........................................................................................... 3

Southern ....................................................................................... 3

Alaska ................................................................................................... 3

Arizona ................................................................................................. 14

Arkansas: 

Eastern ......................................................................................... 5

Western ......................................................................................... 3

California: 

Northern ....................................................................................... 18

Eastern ......................................................................................... 10

Central .......................................................................................... 31

Southern ....................................................................................... 13

Colorado ............................................................................................... 8

Connecticut ........................................................................................... 8

Delaware ............................................................................................... 4

District of Columbia ............................................................................. 15

Florida: 

Northern ....................................................................................... 4

Middle ........................................................................................... 19

Southern ....................................................................................... 20

Georgia: 

Northern ....................................................................................... 11

Middle ........................................................................................... 4

Southern ....................................................................................... 3

Hawaii .................................................................................................. 3

Idaho .................................................................................................... 2

Illinois: 

Northern ....................................................................................... 22

Central .......................................................................................... 4

Southern ....................................................................................... 4

Indiana: 

Northern ....................................................................................... 5

Southern ....................................................................................... 6

Iowa: 

Northern ....................................................................................... 2

Southern ....................................................................................... 3

Kansas .................................................................................................. 6

Kentucky: 

Eastern ......................................................................................... 5

Western ......................................................................................... 4

Eastern and Western .................................................................... 1

Louisiana: 

Eastern ......................................................................................... 12

Middle ........................................................................................... 3


jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
9 

•S 1653 IS

‘‘Districts Judges 

Western ......................................................................................... 7

Maine .................................................................................................... 3

Maryland .............................................................................................. 10

Massachusetts ....................................................................................... 13

Michigan: 

Eastern ......................................................................................... 15

Western ......................................................................................... 4

Minnesota ............................................................................................. 8

Mississippi: 

Northern ....................................................................................... 3

Southern ....................................................................................... 6

Missouri: 

Eastern ......................................................................................... 7

Western ......................................................................................... 5

Eastern and Western .................................................................... 2

Montana ............................................................................................... 3

Nebraska .............................................................................................. 3

Nevada .................................................................................................. 7

New Hampshire .................................................................................... 3

New Jersey ........................................................................................... 18

New Mexico .......................................................................................... 8

New York: 

Northern ....................................................................................... 5

Southern ....................................................................................... 29

Eastern ......................................................................................... 16

Western ......................................................................................... 5

North Carolina: 

Eastern ......................................................................................... 4

Middle ........................................................................................... 4

Western ......................................................................................... 4

North Dakota ....................................................................................... 2

Ohio: 

Northern ....................................................................................... 11

Southern ....................................................................................... 8

Oklahoma: 

Northern ....................................................................................... 3

Eastern ......................................................................................... 1

Western ......................................................................................... 6

Northern, Eastern, and Western .................................................. 1

Oregon .................................................................................................. 7

Pennsylvania: 

Eastern ......................................................................................... 22

Middle ........................................................................................... 6

Western ......................................................................................... 10

Puerto Rico .......................................................................................... 7

Rhode Island ........................................................................................ 3

South Carolina ..................................................................................... 11

South Dakota ....................................................................................... 3

Tennessee: 

Eastern ......................................................................................... 5

Middle ........................................................................................... 4

Western ......................................................................................... 5

Texas: 

Northern ....................................................................................... 12


jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
10 

•S 1653 IS

‘‘Districts Judges 

Southern ....................................................................................... 21

Eastern ......................................................................................... 9

Western ......................................................................................... 17

Utah ..................................................................................................... 5

Vermont ................................................................................................ 2

Virginia: 

Eastern ......................................................................................... 11

Western ......................................................................................... 4

Washington: 

Eastern ......................................................................................... 4

Western ......................................................................................... 8

West Virginia: 

Northern ....................................................................................... 3

Southern ....................................................................................... 5

Wisconsin: 

Eastern ......................................................................................... 5

Western ......................................................................................... 2

Wyoming ............................................................................................... 3.’’. 

1 SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

2 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 

3 as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this 

4 Act, including such sums as may be necessary to provide 

5 appropriate space and facilities for the judicial positions 

6 created by this Act. 

7 SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

8 This Act (including the amendments made by this 

9 Act) shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS