Chief Justice Names Conference Committee Chairs

Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., has named six new chairs of Judicial Conference committees and extended the term of five current chairs by one year.

Appointments effective as of Oct. 1, 2022:

• Chief Judge Lavenski R. Smith (Eighth Circuit) succeeded Judge Claire V. Eagan (Oklahoma-Northern) as chair of the Executive Committee.
• Judge Kevin Michael Moore (Florida-Southern) was extended for one year as chair of the Committee on Audits and Administrative Office Accountability.
• Chief Judge Sara Darrow (Illinois-Central) was extended for one year as chair of the Committee on the Administration of the Bankruptcy System.
• Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove (Kentucky-Eastern) succeeded Judge Audrey G. Fleissig (Missouri-Eastern) as chair of the Committee on Court Administration and Case Management.
• Judge D. Michael Fisher (Third Circuit) was extended for one year as chair of the Committee on Federal-State Jurisdiction.
• Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis (New York-Eastern) was extended for another year as chair of the Committee on Intercircuit Assignments.
• Judge David G. Campbell (Arizona) succeeded Judge Sidney H. Stein (New York-Southern) as chair of the Committee on International Judicial Relations.
• Bankruptcy Judge Rebecca Buehler Connelly (Virginia-Western) succeeded Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Dow (Missouri-Western) as chair of the Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules.
• Judge James C. Dever III (North Carolina-Eastern) succeeded Judge Raymond M. Kethledge (Sixth Circuit) as chair of the Advisory Committee on Criminal Rules.
• Judge Jeffrey J. Helmick (Ohio-Northern) was extended for one year as chair of the Committee on Space and Facilities.

Appointment effective Nov. 1, 2022:

• Judge Robin L. Rosenberg (Florida-Southern) will succeed Judge Robert M. Dow, Jr., (Illinois-Northern) as chair of the Advisory Committee on Civil Rules.

The 26-member Judicial Conference is the policy-making body for the federal court system. By statute, the Chief Justice of the United States serves as its presiding officer and its members are the chief judges of the 13 courts of appeals, a district judge from each of the 12 geographic circuits, and the chief judge of the Court of International Trade. The Conference meets twice a year to consider administrative and policy issues affecting the court system, and to make recommendations to Congress concerning legislation involving the Judicial Branch.