[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9625 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9625
To authorize additional district judges for the district courts and
convert temporary judgeships.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 17, 2024
Mr. Issa (for himself, Mr. Nehls, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Johnson of Georgia,
Ms. Lee of Florida, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Van Drew, Mr. Valadao, Ms. Maloy,
Mrs. Hinson, Mrs. Kim of California, Mr. LaLota, Mr. Owens, Mr. Green
of Texas, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mr. Bentz, Mrs. Bice, Mr. Obernolte,
Ms. De La Cruz, Mr. Ciscomani, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Hunt, and Mr. Weber of
Texas) introduced the following bill; which was 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.--
(A) In general.--The President shall appoint, by
and with the advice and consent of the Senate--
(i) 1 additional district judge for the
central district of California;
(ii) 1 additional district judge for the
eastern district of California;
(iii) 1 additional district judge for the
northern district of California;
(iv) 1 additional district judge for the
district of Delaware;
(v) 1 additional district judge for the
middle district of Florida;
(vi) 1 additional district judge for the
southern district of Indiana;
(vii) 1 additional district judge for the
northern district of Iowa;
(viii) 1 additional district judge for the
district of New Jersey;
(ix) 1 additional district judge for the
southern district of New York;
(x) 1 additional district judge for the
eastern district of Texas; and
(xi) 1 additional district judge for the
southern district of Texas.
(B) Tables.--The table contained in section 133(a)
of title 28, United States Code, is amended--
(i) by striking the items relating to
California and inserting the following:
``California:
Northern............................. 15
Eastern.............................. 7
Central.............................. 28
Southern............................. 13'';
(ii) by striking the item relating to
Delaware and inserting the following:
``Delaware........................... 5'';
(iii) by striking the items relating to
Florida and inserting the following:
``Florida:
Northern............................. 4
Middle............................... 16
Southern............................. 17'';
(iv) by striking the items relating to
Indiana and inserting the following:
``Indiana:
Northern............................. 5
Southern............................. 6'';
(v) by striking the items relating to Iowa
and inserting the following:
``Iowa:
Northern............................. 3
Southern............................. 3'';
(vi) by striking the item relating to New
Jersey and inserting the following:
``New Jersey......................... 18'';
(vii) by striking the items relating to New
York and inserting the following:
``New York:
Northern............................. 5
Southern............................. 29
Eastern.............................. 15
Western.............................. 4''; and
(viii) by striking the items relating to
Texas and inserting the following:
``Texas:
Northern............................. 12
Southern............................. 20
Eastern.............................. 8
Western.............................. 13''.
(C) Effective date.--This paragraph shall take
effect on January 21, 2025.
(2) 2027.--
(A) In general.--The President shall appoint, by
and with the advice and consent of the Senate--
(i) 1 additional district judge for the
district of Arizona;
(ii) 2 additional district judges for the
central district of California;
(iii) 1 additional district judge for the
eastern district of California;
(iv) 1 additional district judge for the
northern district of California;
(v) 1 additional district judge for the
middle district of Florida;
(vi) 1 additional district judge for the
southern district of Florida;
(vii) 1 additional district judge for the
northern district of Georgia;
(viii) 1 additional district judge for the
district of Idaho;
(ix) 1 additional district judge for the
northern district of Texas; and
(x) 1 additional district judge for the
southern district of Texas.
(B) Tables.--The table contained in section 133(a)
of title 28, United States Code, as amended by
paragraph (1) of this subsection, is amended--
(i) by striking the item relating to
Arizona and inserting the following:
``Arizona............................ 13'';
(ii) by striking the items relating to
California and inserting the following:
``California:
Northern............................. 16
Eastern.............................. 8
Central.............................. 30
Southern............................. 13'';
(iii) by striking the items relating to
Florida and inserting the following:
``Florida:
Northern............................. 4
Middle............................... 17
Southern............................. 18'';
(iv) by striking the items relating to
Georgia and inserting the following:
``Georgia:
Northern............................. 12
Middle............................... 4
Southern............................. 3'';
(v) by striking the item relating to Idaho
and inserting the following:
``Idaho.............................. 3''; and
(vi) by striking the items relating to
Texas and inserting the following:
``Texas:
Northern............................. 13
Southern............................. 21
Eastern.............................. 8
Western.............................. 13''.
(C) Effective date.--This paragraph shall take
effect on January 21, 2027.
(3) 2029.--
(A) In general.--The President shall appoint, by
and with the advice and consent of the Senate--
(i) 1 additional district judge for the
central district of California;
(ii) 1 additional district judge for the
eastern district of California;
(iii) 1 additional district judge for the
northern district of California;
(iv) 1 additional district judge for the
district of Colorado;
(v) 1 additional district judge for the
district of Delaware;
(vi) 1 additional district judge for the
district of Nebraska;
(vii) 1 additional district judge for the
eastern district of New York;
(viii) 1 additional district judge for the
eastern district of Texas;
(ix) 1 additional district judge for the
southern district of Texas; and
(x) 1 additional district judge for the
western district of Texas.
(B) Tables.--The table contained in section 133(a)
of title 28, United States Code, as amended by
paragraph (2) of this subsection, is amended--
(i) by striking the items relating to
California and inserting the following:
``California:
Northern............................. 17
Eastern.............................. 9
Central.............................. 31
Southern............................. 13'';
(ii) by striking the item relating to
Colorado and inserting the following:
``Colorado........................... 8'';
(iii) by striking the item relating to
Delaware and inserting the following:
``Delaware........................... 6'';
(iv) by striking the item relating to
Nebraska and inserting the following:
``Nebraska........................... 4'';
(v) by striking the items relating to New
York and inserting the following:
``New York:
Northern............................. 5
Southern............................. 29
Eastern.............................. 16
Western.............................. 4''; and
(vi) by striking the items relating to
Texas and inserting the following:
``Texas:
Northern............................. 13
Southern............................. 22
Eastern.............................. 9
Western.............................. 14''.
(C) Effective date.--This paragraph shall take
effect on January 21, 2029.
(4) 2031.--
(A) In general.--The President shall appoint, by
and with the advice and consent of the Senate--
(i) 1 additional district judge for the
district of Arizona;
(ii) 1 additional district judge for the
central district of California;
(iii) 1 additional district judge for the
eastern district of California;
(iv) 1 additional district judge for the
northern district of California;
(v) 1 additional district judge for the
southern district of California;
(vi) 1 additional district judge for the
middle district of Florida;
(vii) 1 additional district judge for the
southern district of Florida;
(viii) 1 additional district judge for the
district of New Jersey;
(ix) 1 additional district judge for the
western district of New York; and
(x) 2 additional district judges for the
western district of Texas.
(B) Tables.--The table contained in section 133(a)
of title 28, United States Code, as amended by
paragraph (3) of this subsection, is amended--
(i) by striking the item relating to
Arizona and inserting the following:
``Arizona............................ 14'';
(ii) by striking the items relating to
California and inserting the following:
``California:
Northern............................. 18
Eastern.............................. 10
Central.............................. 32
Southern............................. 14'';
(iii) by striking the items relating to
Florida and inserting the following:
``Florida:
Northern............................. 4
Middle............................... 18
Southern............................. 19'';
(iv) by striking the item relating to New
Jersey and inserting the following:
``New Jersey......................... 19'';
(v) by striking the items relating to New
York and inserting the following:
``New York:
Northern............................. 5
Southern............................. 29
Eastern.............................. 16
Western.............................. 5''; and
(vi) by striking the items relating to
Texas and inserting the following:
``Texas:
Northern............................. 13
Southern............................. 22
Eastern.............................. 9
Western.............................. 16''.
(C) Effective date.--This paragraph shall take
effect on January 21, 2031.
(5) 2033.--
(A) In general.--The President shall appoint, by
and with the advice and consent of the Senate--
(i) 2 additional district judges for the
central district of California;
(ii) 1 additional district judge for the
northern district of California;
(iii) 1 additional district judge for the
district of Colorado;
(iv) 1 additional district judge for the
middle district of Florida;
(v) 1 additional district judge for the
northern district of Florida;
(vi) 1 additional district judge for the
northern district of Georgia;
(vii) 1 additional district judge for the
southern district of New York;
(viii) 1 additional district judge for the
southern district of Texas; and
(ix) 1 additional district judge for the
western district of Texas.
(B) Tables.--The table contained in section 133(a)
of title 28, United States Code, as amended by
paragraph (4) of this subsection, is amended--
(i) by striking the items relating to
California and inserting the following:
``California:
Northern............................. 19
Eastern.............................. 10
Central.............................. 34
Southern............................. 14'';
(ii) by striking the item relating to
Colorado and inserting the following:
``Colorado........................... 9'';
(iii) by striking the items relating to
Florida and inserting the following:
``Florida:
Northern............................. 5
Middle............................... 19
Southern............................. 19'';
(iv) by striking the items relating to
Georgia and inserting the following:
``Georgia:
Northern............................. 13
Middle............................... 4
Southern............................. 3'';
(v) by striking the items relating to New
York and inserting the following:
``New York:
Northern............................. 5
Southern............................. 30
Eastern.............................. 16
Western.............................. 5''; and
(vi) by striking the items relating to
Texas and inserting the following:
``Texas:
Northern............................. 13
Southern............................. 23
Eastern.............................. 9
Western.............................. 17''.
(C) Effective date.--This paragraph shall take
effect on January 21, 2033.
(6) 2035.--
(A) In general.--The President shall appoint, by
and with the a