Status of Magistrate Judge Positions and Appointments — Judicial Business 2024

During this fiscal year, 87 appointments of full-time magistrate judges were made, including 50 new appointments and 37 reappointments. Seven individuals were appointed to part-time magistrate judge positions, including two new appointments and five reappointments. In addition, 88 retired magistrate judges were recalled to service under 28 U.S.C. § 636(h).

The following information is provided pursuant to the reporting requirements of 28 U.S.C. § 604(d)(3). The average age of new appointees to full-time magistrate judge positions was 49 years; the average age of new appointees to part-time magistrate judge positions was 60 years. New full-time appointees had been members of the bar for an average of 22 years at the time of appointment; new part-time magistrate judges averaged 33 years of bar membership. Of the new full-time magistrate judges, at the time of their appointments, 17 had been in private practice, 16 had been assistant United States attorneys, 6 had been federal public defenders or assistant federal public defenders, 2 had been state court judges, 1 had been an administrative law judge, 1 had been a deputy state solicitor general, 1 had been general counsel, 1 had been a law clerk, 1 had been litigation counsel, 1 had been a project director for a legal assistance group, 1 had been a senior attorney for a foundation, 1 had been senior counsel for the U.S. Department of Justice, and 1 had been a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice.

Through September 2024, the Judicial Conference authorized 563 full-time magistrate judge positions, 25 part-time positions, and 2 combination clerk/magistrate judge positions.

For data on magistrate judge positions, see Table 12.