I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4885 
To authorize additional district judges for the district courts and convert 
temporary judgeships. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 30, 2021 
Mr. ISSA (for himself, Mr. VARGAS, Mrs. SPARTZ, and Mr. PETERS) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Ju-
diciary 
A BILL 
To authorize additional district judges for the district courts 
and convert temporary judgeships. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Judicial Understaffing 
Delays Getting Emergencies Solved Act’’ or the 
‘‘JUDGES Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) The Judicial Conference of the United 
States requested the creation of 77 new district 
judges in its 2021 report. 
(2) The Judicial Conference of the United 
States has named 37 vacancies as judicial emer-
gencies. 
(3) As of March 31, 2021, there were 696,789 
pending cases, averaging 803 filings per judgeship. 
SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL DISTRICT JUDGES FOR THE DISTRICT 
COURTS. 
(a) ADDITIONAL JUDGESHIPS.— 
(1) 2025.—On or after January 21, 2025, the 
President shall appoint, by and with the advice and 
consent of the Senate— 
(A) 1 additional district judge for the dis-
trict of Arizona; 
(B) 7 additional district judges for the cen-
tral district of California; 
(C) 2 additional district judges for the 
eastern district of California; 
(D) 3 additional district judges for the 
northern district of California; 
(E) 3 additional district judges for the 
southern district of California; 
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(F) 1 additional district judge for the dis-
trict of Colorado; 
(G) 1 additional district judge for the dis-
trict of Delaware; 
(H) 3 additional district judges for the 
middle district of Florida; 
(I) 1 additional district judge for the 
northern district of Florida; 
(J) 1 additional district judge for the 
southern district of Florida; 
(K) 1 additional district judge for the 
northern district of Georgia; 
(L) 1 additional district judge for the dis-
trict of Idaho; 
(M) 1 additional district judge for the 
southern district of Indiana; 
(N) 1 additional district judge for the 
northern district of Iowa; 
(O) 2 additional district judges for the dis-
trict of New Jersey; 
(P) 1 additional district judge for the dis-
trict of New Mexico; 
(Q) 1 additional district judge for the east-
ern district of New York; 
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(R) 1 additional district judge for the 
southern district of New York; 
(S) 1 additional district judge for the west-
ern district of New York; 
(T) 1 additional district judge for the east-
ern district of Texas; 
(U) 2 additional district judges for the 
southern district of Texas; and 
(V) 3 additional district judges for the 
western district of Texas. 
(2) 2029.—On or after January 21, 2029, the 
President shall appoint, by and with the advice and 
consent of the Senate— 
(A) 3 additional district judges for the dis-
trict of Arizona; 
(B) 8 additional district judges for the cen-
tral district of California; 
(C) 2 additional district judges for the 
eastern district of California; 
(D) 2 additional district judges for the 
northern district of California; 
(E) 3 additional district judges for the 
southern district of California; 
(F) 1 additional district judge for the dis-
trict of Colorado; 
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(G) 1 additional district judge for the dis-
trict of Delaware; 
(H) 4 additional district judges for the 
middle district of Florida; 
(I) 2 additional district judges for the 
southern district of Florida; 
(J) 1 additional district judge for the 
northern district of Georgia; 
(K) 1 additional district judge for the 
southern district of Indiana; 
(L) 3 additional district judges for the dis-
trict of New Jersey; 
(M) 1 additional district judge for the 
eastern district of New York; 
(N) 1 additional district judge for the east-
ern district of Texas; 
(O) 2 additional district judges for the 
southern district of Texas; and 
(P) 3 additional district judges for the 
western district of Texas. 
(b) CONVERSION OF TEMPORARY JUDGESHIPS.—The 
existing judgeships for the district of Kansas, and the 
eastern district of Missouri authorized by section 203(c) 
of the Judicial Improvements Act of 1990 (Public Law 
101–650; 28 U.S.C. 133 note) and the existing judgeships 
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for the northern district of Alabama, the district of Ari-
zona, the central district of California, the southern dis-
trict of Florida, the district of New Mexico, the western 
district of North Carolina, and the eastern district of 
Texas authorized by section 312(c) of the 21st Century 
Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act 
(Public Law 107–273, 28 U.S.C. 133 note), as of the date 
of enactment of this Act, shall be authorized under section 
133 of title 28, United States Code, and the incumbents 
in those offices shall hold the office under section 133 of 
title 28, United States Code, as amended by this Act. 
(c) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
The table contained in section 133(a) of title 28, United 
States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking the items relating to Alabama 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘Alabama: 
Northern .................................................................
Middle .....................................................................
Southern .................................................................
3’’; 
(2) by striking the item relating to Arizona and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘Arizona .................................................................
17’’; 
(3) by striking the items relating to California 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘California: 
Northern .................................................................
Eastern ...................................................................
Central ....................................................................
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Southern .................................................................
19’’; 
(4) by striking the item relating to Colorado 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘Colorado ...............................................................
9’’; 
(5) by striking the item relating to Delaware 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘Delaware ...............................................................
6’’; 
(6) by striking the items relating to Florida and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘Florida: 
Northern .................................................................
Middle .....................................................................
Southern .................................................................
21’’; 
(7) by striking the items relating to Georgia 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘Georgia: 
Northern .................................................................
Middle .....................................................................
Southern .................................................................
3’’; 
(8) by striking the item relating to Idaho and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘Idaho ....................................................................
3’’; 
(9) by striking the items relating to Indiana 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘Indiana: 
Northern .................................................................
Southern .................................................................
7’’; 
(10) by striking the items relating to Iowa and 
inserting the following: 
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‘‘Iowa: 
Northern .................................................................
Southern .................................................................
3’’; 
(11) by striking the item relating to Kansas 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘Kansas ..................................................................
6’’; 
(12) by striking the items relating to Missouri 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘Missouri: 
Eastern ...................................................................
Western ..................................................................
Eastern and Western .............................................
2’’; 
(13) by striking the item relating to New Jer-
sey and inserting the following: 
‘‘New Jersey ...........................................................
22’’; 
(14) by striking the item relating to New Mex-
ico and inserting the following: 
‘‘New Mexico ..........................................................
8’’; 
(15) by striking the items relating to New York 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘New York: 
Northern .................................................................
Southern .................................................................
Eastern ...................................................................
Western ..................................................................
5’’; 
(16) by striking the items relating to North 
Carolina and inserting the following: 
‘‘North Carolina: 
Eastern ...................................................................
Middle .....................................................................
Western ..................................................................
5’’; 
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and 
(17) by striking the items relating to Texas and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘Texas: 
Northern .................................................................
Southern .................................................................
Eastern ...................................................................
Western ..................................................................
19’’. 
SEC. 4. GAO REPORT ON VACANT AND UNDERUTILIZED 
COURTHOUSES. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall make publicly available a report identifying Federal 
courthouses that are vacant or underused. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 
as may be necessary to carry out this Act and the amend-
ments made by this Act, including such sums as may be 
necessary to provide appropriate space and facilities for 
the judicial positions created by this Act or an amendment 
made by this Act. 
Æ 
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