Committee Chairs Begin Terms October 1, 2015

Six new chairs of Judicial Conference committees have been named by Chief Justice John Roberts Jr., with terms beginning October 1, 2015. The Judicial Conference, the policy-making body of the federal Judiciary, operates through a network of committees created to address and advise on a wide variety of subjects. The Chief Justice has sole authority to make committee appointments. 

• Judge Richard R. Clifton (Ninth Circuit) succeeds Judge Richard W. Story (N.D. GA) as chair of the Committee on Federal-State Jurisdiction;
• Judge Allyson K. Duncan (Fourth Circuit) succeeds Judge Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain (Ninth Circuit) as chair of the Committee on International Judicial Relations;
• Judge Lawrence F. Stengel (E.D. Pa.) succeeds Judge Timothy M. Tymkovich (Tenth Circuit) as chair of the Committee on Judicial Resources;
• Judge David R. Herndon (S.D. Ill.) succeeds Judge Nancy F. Atlas (S.D. Tex.) as chair of the Committee on Judicial Security;
• Judge John D. Bates (D.DC) succeeds Judge David G. Campbell (D. Ariz.) as chair of the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules; and
• Judge Donald W. Molloy (D. Mont.) succeeds Judge Reena Raggi (Second Circuit) as chair of the Advisory Committee on Criminal Rules.

 Five current Judicial Conference committee chairs have had their terms extended:

• Judge Lawrence L. Piersol (D. SD) is extended for one year as chair of the Committee on Audits and Administrative Office Accountability;
• Chief Judge Catherine C. Blake (D. Md.) is extended for one year as chair of the Committee on Defender Services;
• Judge Anthony J. Scirica (Third Circuit) is extended for one year as chair of the Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability;
• Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton (Sixth Circuit) is extended for one year as chair of the Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure;
• Judge Steven M. Colloton (Eighth Circuit) is extended for one year as chair of the Advisory Committee on Appellate Rules.