Yesterday Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell filed cloture motions for three district court nominees, setting up their confirmation and cloture votes (if the Democrats require cloture votes) for the week of June 2nd, when the Senate returns from its 10-day recess. If the three district judge nominees are confirmed, this will mark the 40th, 41st, and 42nd federal judicial nominees confirmed to date.
Also this week, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing for President Trump’s nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, Britt Grant, who is currently a Justice on the Supreme Court of Georgia. The Committee also voted to advance the nomination of Andy Oldham, President Trump’s nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, to the Senate Floor for a full confirmation vote.
Here is this week’s update on federal judicial nominations:
Current and known future vacancies: 177
Courts of Appeals: 22
District/Specialty Courts*: 155
Pending nominees for current and known future vacancies: 85
Courts of Appeals: 10
District/Specialty Courts: 75
* Includes the Court of Federal Claims and the International Trade Court
Court of Appeals Nominees Awaiting Senate Judiciary Committee Hearings
| Nominee (Circuit) | Nomination Date | Days Pending | Both Blue Slips Returned? | Judiciary Committee Hearing Date |
| David Porter (3rd) | 4/12/2018 | 43 | No | Not yet scheduled |
| Paul Matey (3rd) | 4/12/2018 | 43 | No | Not yet scheduled |
| Richard Sullivan (2nd) | 5/7/2018 | 18 | No | Not yet scheduled |
| Jay Richardson (4th) | 5/7/2018 | 18 | Yes | Not yet scheduled |
| Marvin Quattlebaum (4th) | 5/7/2018 | 18 | Yes | Not yet scheduled |
| Ryan Nelson (9th) | 5/15/2018 | 10 | No | Not yet scheduled |
Court of Appeals Nominees Awaiting Senate Judiciary Committee Votes
| Nominee (Circuit) | Nomination Date | Days Pending | Judiciary Committee Hearing Date |
| Ryan Bounds (9th) | 9/7/2017 | 260 | 5/9/2018 |
| Britt Grant (11th) | 4/12/2018 | 43 | 5/23/2018 |
Court of Appeals Nominees Awaiting Senate Floor Votes
| Nominee (Circuit) | Nomination Date | Days Pending | Date Reported to Senate Floor |
| Mark Bennett (9th) | 2/15/2018 | 97 | 5/10/2018 |
| Andrew Oldham (5th) | 2/15/2018 | 97 | 5/24/2018 |
Nominees Awaiting Floor Votes: 40
Courts of Appeals: 2
District/Specialty Courts: 38
Nominees Confirmed by the Senate: 39
Supreme Court: 1
Courts of Appeals: 21
District/Specialty Courts: 17