Judiciary News
Judges, Baseball Fans Welcome Newest Americans
Published onSeptember 16, 2019
"Congratulations, you are all United States citizens.” With these simple words, a federal judge welcomed new citizens as part of a series of naturalization ceremonies held in recent weeks at professional baseball stadiums across the country. A new U.S. Courts video captures the momentous occasions with interviews of new citizens about what it means to be an American.
Law Dean Said, ‘You’ll Change Your Mind;’ Susan Black Proved Him Wrong
![Image: Judge Susan Harrell Black, at her 1979 investiture in the Middle District of Florida.](/sites/all/modules/lazyloader/image_placeholder.gif)
Published onSeptember 11, 2019
Like many of the 23 women judges who transformed the federal Judiciary in 1979, Susan Harrell Black was encouraged by her father to have professional aspirations—but for a darkly practical reason.
Fields of Dreams: Judges Swear In New Citizens at Pro Ballparks
![Naturalization Ceremony in Dayton, Ohio](/sites/all/modules/lazyloader/image_placeholder.gif)
Published onSeptember 10, 2019
Two of America’s most memory-laden traditions, the welcoming of new citizens and baseball—have come together this year to create a sense of community and diversity at stadiums across the country.
Some Clerkship and Staff Attorney Applications Affected by Power Outage
Published onSeptember 6, 2019
Law school students and graduates who filed applications for federal court clerkships and staff attorney positions from June 7 to Aug. 31, 2019 using the OSCAR system may have to refile some documents in their applications.
Anne Thompson: Inspired by Parents, ‘I Loved Every Job I Had’
![Image: In 1979, with her family at her side, Judge Anne E. Thompson is sworn in as a federal judge in the District of New Jersey.](/sites/all/modules/lazyloader/image_placeholder.gif)
Published onSeptember 4, 2019
Judge Anne Elise Thompson never had specific career goals, and never imagined she would be part of a historic class of women judges appointed to the federal bench in 1979.
Courthouse Closures for Hurricane Dorian
Published onSeptember 2, 2019
Multiple federal courthouses in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia are closed due to the effects of Hurricane Dorian.
New Supreme Court Fellows Begin Term
![2019 Supreme Court Fellows.](/sites/all/modules/lazyloader/image_placeholder.gif)
Published onAugust 29, 2019
Four Supreme Court Fellows are set to begin their fellowships for the 2019-2020 term in September.
Rya Zobel: A Child of Nazi Germany Says ‘I’ve been Incredibly Fortunate’
Published onAugust 28, 2019
Judge Rya Zobel, of the District of Massachusetts, joined a historic class of 23 women who in 1979 transformed the federal Judiciary. In a group of pioneering women lawyers, her journey to the federal bench was perhaps the most remarkable.
Mary Murphy Schroeder: She Broke Barriers From the Start
![Judge Mary Schroeder is sworn in as a U.S. judge.](/sites/all/modules/lazyloader/image_placeholder.gif)
Published onAugust 21, 2019
In 1979, Mary Murphy Schroeder joined a historic class of women judges who transformed the federal Judiciary, but her law career nearly ended before it began. The night before her first final law exam at the University of Chicago, Schroeder collapsed and was hospitalized with a severe kidney infection.
40 Years Later, Pioneering Women Judges Savor Place in History
![Image: In 1980, President Jimmy Carter met with members of the new National Association of Women Judges, many of whom he had appointed to the federal bench.](/sites/all/modules/lazyloader/image_placeholder.gif)
Published onAugust 14, 2019
In 1979, 23 women were appointed to the federal bench—more than doubling the number of women appointed to life-tenured judgeships in the previous 190 year history of the United States. The doors they opened never swung shut again. Forty years later, women make up one-third of the courts’ full-time, active Article III judges.
Judges Explain Rule of Law, Why It Matters
Published onAugust 8, 2019
Nine federal judges, in a new Judiciary “Court Shorts” video, explain how fair and consistent adherence to the law protects our rights and well-being in everyday situations like buying a breakfast sandwich, reading mail, and investing in the stock market.
ABA Honors Judge M. Margaret McKeown With Marshall Award
Published onAugust 8, 2019
Judge M. Margaret McKeown of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is to receive the American Bar Association’s prestigious John Marshall Award Friday, Aug. 9, during the ABA’s annual meeting in San Francisco.
June 2019 Bankruptcy Filings Fall 0.3 Percent
Published onJuly 26, 2019
Bankruptcy filings fell 0.3 percent for the 12-month period ending June 30, 2019, according to statistics released by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
Probation Officers Looking for Future Officers in the Classroom
Published onJuly 25, 2019
Federal probation offices around the country are reaching into local schools, sometimes helped by furry drug-sniffing dogs. Their goal? Raising awareness about the work of pretrial and probation officers and encouraging a diverse group of future officers.
Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart to Receive 2019 Devitt Award
Published onJuly 23, 2019
Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is the recipient of the 2019 Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award. Stewart will formally receive the award on Oct. 17 in a ceremony at the U.S. Supreme Court.