Chief Justice Names New Conference Committee Chairs

Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., selected a new chair for the Executive Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States and three new chairs for other Conference committees. All appointments took effect October 1, 2017, unless otherwise noted.

Chief Judge Merrick B. Garland of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit is the new chair of the Executive Committee. He has served as a member of the Committee since 2013 and replaced Judge Paul Barbadoro of the District of New Hampshire as chair.  A new member of the Executive Committee is Chief Judge Robert A. Katzmann of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The Executive Committee serves as the senior executive arm of the Judicial Conference. All members are appointed by the Chief Justice and serve open terms. 

Chief Justice Roberts also selected three new chairs for Judicial Conference committees:

• Judge Michael A. Chagares (3rd Circuit) succeeded Justice Neil Gorsuch as chair of the Advisory Committee on Appellate Rules, effective April 25, 2017.
• Judge Anthony John Trenga (VA-E) succeeds Judge Gary A. Fenner (MO-W) as chair of the Committee on Financial Disclosure.
• Judge Debra Ann Livingston (2nd Circuit) succeeds Judge William K. Sessions III (VT) as chair of the Advisory Committee on Evidence 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.