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Senate Bill 4199
118th Congress(2023-2024)
JUDGES Act of 2024
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Passed Senate on Aug 1, 2024
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S. 4199 (Introduced-in-Senate)


118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4199


To authorize additional district judges for the district courts and convert temporary judgeships.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 19, 2024

Mr. Young (for himself, Mr. Coons, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Cruz, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Tillis, and Mr. Luján) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To authorize additional district judges for the district courts and convert temporary judgeships.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. Short title.

This Act may be cited as the “Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved Act of 2024” or the “JUDGES Act of 2024”.

SEC. 2. Findings.

Congress finds the following:

(1) Article III of the Constitution of the United States gives Congress the power to establish judgeships in the district courts of the United States.

(2) Congress has not created a new district court judgeship since 2003 and has not enacted comprehensive judgeship legislation since 1990.

(3) This represents the longest period of time since district courts of the United States were established in 1789 that Congress has not authorized any new permanent district court judgeships.

(4) By the end of fiscal year 2022, filings in the district courts of the United States had increased by 30 percent since the last comprehensive judgeship legislation.

(5) As of March 31, 2023, there were 686,797 pending cases in the district courts of the United States, with an average of 491 weighted case filings per judgeship over a 12-month period.

(6) To deal with increased filings in the district courts of the United States, the Judicial Conference of the United States requested the creation of 66 new district court judgeships in its 2023 report.

SEC. 3. Additional district judges for the district courts.

(a) Additional judgeships.—

(1) 2025.—On or after January 21, 2025, the President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate—

(A) 1 additional district judge for the district of Arizona;

(B) 5 additional district judges for the central district of California;

(C) 2 additional district judges for the eastern district of California;

(D) 3 additional district judges for the northern district of California;

(E) 1 additional district judge for the southern district of California;

(F) 1 additional district judge for the district of Colorado;

(G) 1 additional district judge for the district of Delaware;

(H) 2 additional district judges for the middle district of Florida;

(I) 1 additional district judge for the southern district of Florida;

(J) 1 additional district judge for the northern district of Georgia;

(K) 1 additional district judge for the district of Idaho;

(L) 1 additional district judge for the southern district of Indiana;

(M) 1 additional district judge for the northern district of Iowa;

(N) 1 additional district judge for the district of Nebraska;

(O) 1 additional district judge for the district of New Jersey;

(P) 1 additional district judge for the eastern district of New York;

(Q) 1 additional district judge for the southern district of New York;

(R) 1 additional district judge for the eastern district of Texas;

(S) 1 additional district judge for the northern district of Texas;

(T) 2 additional district judges for the southern district of Texas; and

(U) 3 additional district judges for the western district of Texas.

(2) 2029.—On or after January 21, 2029, the President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate—

(A) 1 additional district judge for the district of Arizona;

(B) 4 additional district judges for the central district of California;

(C) 2 additional district judge for the eastern district of California;

(D) 3 additional district judges for the northern district of California;

(E) 1 additional district judge for the southern district of California;

(F) 1 additional district judge for the district of Colorado;

(G) 1 additional district judge for the district of Delaware;

(H) 3 additional district judges for the middle district of Florida;

(I) 1 additional district judge for the northern district of Florida;

(J) 2 additional district judges for the southern district of Florida;

(K) 1 additional district judge for the northern district of Georgia;

(L) 2 additional district judges for the district of New Jersey;

(M) 1 additional district judge for the eastern district of New York;

(N) 1 additional district judge for the southern district of New York;

(O) 1 additional district judge for the western district of New York;

(P) 1 additional district judge for the eastern district of Texas;

(Q) 2 additional district judge for the southern district of Texas; and

(R) 3 additional district judges for the western district of Texas.

(b) Temporary judgeships.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—The President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate—

(A) 2 additional district judges for the eastern district of Oklahoma; and

(B) 1 additional district judge for the northern district of Oklahoma.

(2) VACANCIES NOT FILLED.—The first vacancy in the office of district judge in each of the offices of district judge authorized by this subsection, occurring 5 years or more after the confirmation date of the judge named to fill the temporary district judgeship created in the applicable district by this subsection, shall not be filled.

(3) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This subsection shall take effect on January 21, 2025.

(c) Technical and conforming amendments.—The table contained in section 133(a) of title 28, United States Code, is amended—

(1) by striking the item relating to Arizona and inserting the following:



  “Arizona14”;

(2) by striking the items relating to California and inserting the following:



  “California:
  Northern20
  Eastern10
  Central36
  Southern15”;

(3) by striking the item relating to Colorado and inserting the following:



  “Colorado9”;

(4) by striking the item relating to Delaware and inserting the following:



  “Delaware6”;

(5) by striking the items relating to Florida and inserting the following:



  “Florida:
  Northern5
  Middle20
  Southern20”;

(6) by striking the items relating to Georgia and inserting the following:



  “Georgia:
  Northern13
  Middle4
  Southern3”;

(7) by striking the item relating to Idaho and inserting the following:



  “Idaho3”;

(8) by striking the items relating to Indiana and inserting the following:



  “Indiana:
  Northern5
  Southern6”;

(9) by striking the items relating to Iowa and inserting the following:



  “Iowa:
  Northern3
  Southern3”;

(10) by striking the item relating to Nebraska and inserting the following:



  “Nebraska4”;

(11) by striking the item relating to New Jersey and inserting the following:



  “New Jersey20”;

(12) by striking the items relating to New York and inserting the following:



  “New York:
  Northern5
  Southern30
  Eastern17
  Western5”;

(13) by striking the items relating to Texas and inserting the following:



  “Texas:
  Northern13
  Southern23
  Eastern9
  Western19”.

SEC. 4. GAO report on vacant and underutilized courthouses.

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall make publicly available a report identifying Federal courthouses that are vacant or underused.

SEC. 5. Authorization of appropriations.

There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act and the amendments made by this Act, including such sums as may be necessary to provide appropriate space and facilities for the judicial positions created by this Act or an amendment made by this Act.