{ "id": "R43426", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "R43426", "active": true, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 462995, "date": "2017-08-01", "retrieved": "2017-08-22T13:39:24.993593", "title": "U.S. Circuit and District Court Judges: Profile of Select Characteristics", "summary": "This report addresses ongoing congressional interest in the demographic characteristics and professional experiences of those individuals nominated and appointed to fill lower federal court judgeships. It focuses on demographic and other background characteristics of active U.S. circuit and district court judges who are currently serving on the federal bench. \nUnless otherwise noted, the statistics provided in the report do not reflect all of a particular President\u2019s circuit or district court appointments during his time in office\u2014but only active judges appointed by that President. A judge in \u201cactive service\u201d works full-time and is appointed to one of the circuit or district court judgeships authorized by Congress. He or she has not taken senior status, retired, or resigned from office. A judge who has assumed senior status continues, on a part-time basis, to perform the duties of his or her office (which can include hearing cases)\u2014but the demographic and background characteristics of these judges are not included in the statistics presented in the main text of the report.\nAs discussed below, \u201cnontraditional\u201d judges are those judges who belong to demographic groups from which, historically, individuals were not often selected, if at all, for federal judgeships. Specifically, for the purposes of this report, white women, non-white men, and non-white women are considered nontraditional judges.\nSome of the report\u2019s findings include the following:\nDuring the Obama presidency, nontraditional judges for the first time in judicial history comprised over 50% of active U.S. circuit court judges. As of June 1, 2017, this remains the case among active circuit court judges\u2014specifically, 54.4% of active judges are white women, non-white women, or non-white men.\nPresident Obama was the first President for whom nontraditional nominees comprised a majority (69.0%) of all those he appointed as circuit court judges.\nA plurality of active U.S. circuit court judges (26.3%) are 70 years or older.\nImmediately prior to being appointed as U.S. circuit court judges, a plurality of circuit court judges were either serving as U.S. district court judges (26.9%) or as attorneys in private practice (also 26.9%).\nDuring the Obama presidency, nontraditional judges for the first time in judicial history comprised over 50% of active U.S. district court judges. As of June 1, 2017, this remains the case among active district court judges\u2014specifically, 51.0% of active judges are white women, non-white women, or non-white men.\nPresident Obama was the first President for whom nontraditional nominees comprised a majority (62.0%) of all those he appointed as district court judges.\nA plurality of active U.S. district court judges (29.5%) are 60 to 64 years of age.\nImmediately prior to being appointed as U.S. district court judges, a plurality of district court judges were working as attorneys in private practice (35.4%) followed by those serving as state or local judges (30.5%).", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43426", "sha1": "7ac32a5a5b0ee07f828b1daab44dfefcec4681b9", "filename": "files/20170801_R43426_7ac32a5a5b0ee07f828b1daab44dfefcec4681b9.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43426_files&id=/12.png": "files/20170801_R43426_images_7b1a5f5d6259957b8435fb0dbbabfd95cc50ae40.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43426_files&id=/10.png": "files/20170801_R43426_images_1407969ef048bef70fff5b9f986b9a183867f154.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43426_files&id=/7.png": "files/20170801_R43426_images_b78b38659c886c11121216afd81dd590329de229.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43426_files&id=/9.png": "files/20170801_R43426_images_354dd75e29cfc21f13c2760387fb98eba92b46a1.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43426_files&id=/8.png": "files/20170801_R43426_images_9b5dc0948c238adcaf064c44b76486188a92a699.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43426_files&id=/0.png": "files/20170801_R43426_images_41d8870830da6f4923d1d6c55bb40fa6194991fb.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43426_files&id=/13.png": "files/20170801_R43426_images_68f24a067fd2571e25a72c4e71dadc7be9258ce1.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43426_files&id=/6.png": "files/20170801_R43426_images_093cbb1e6a2f98c7df50e6d7d8473c68d9af1395.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43426_files&id=/11.png": "files/20170801_R43426_images_8c562e261c82720087197eaf9d590007e6ce77f8.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43426_files&id=/4.png": "files/20170801_R43426_images_035623e9775e0dbfa277771df7630a9a1ad04949.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43426_files&id=/2.png": "files/20170801_R43426_images_c4711b1f4a84634dd642fd6a0a501413091a5e12.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43426_files&id=/3.png": "files/20170801_R43426_images_324e089561b754a40cd87948ca0ae95fad52fdd6.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43426_files&id=/5.png": "files/20170801_R43426_images_5b8d2a795270433fd86462899574a194e1e82be0.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43426_files&id=/14.png": "files/20170801_R43426_images_9b94077e6914a6e070fa5dc8cbdf3f3fc4cf038b.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43426_files&id=/15.png": "files/20170801_R43426_images_45e48bf8ea814b7bfe2b12de8f6b2e1990000a71.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R43426_files&id=/1.png": "files/20170801_R43426_images_d27120116d405336e02638a5770ca03a44aaba99.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43426", "sha1": "8b2f5536056503f919b97ab352976d73bb7a95ba", "filename": "files/20170801_R43426_8b2f5536056503f919b97ab352976d73bb7a95ba.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 428916, "date": "2014-03-19", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T23:04:41.413784", "title": "U.S. Circuit and District Court Judges: Profile of Select Characteristics", "summary": "This report addresses ongoing congressional interest in select characteristics of lower federal court judges. The analysis of the report focuses on demographic and other characteristics of active and senior U.S. circuit and district court judges who are currently serving on the federal bench. Consequently, the statistics provided in the report do not necessarily reflect all of a President\u2019s circuit or district court appointments during his time in office. A judge in active service has not taken senior status, retired, or resigned. A judge who has assumed senior status continues, on a part-time basis, to perform the duties of his or her office (which can include hearing cases).\nAs discussed below, \u201cnontraditional\u201d judges are those judges who belong to demographic groups from which, historically, individuals were not often selected, if at all, for federal judgeships. Specifically, for the purposes of this report, white women, non-white men, and non-white women are considered nontraditional judges.\nSome of the report\u2019s findings include the following:\nAs of March 7, 2014, the greatest percentage of active circuit court judges were appointed by President G.W. Bush (32.1%), followed by Presidents Obama (25.3%) and Clinton (25.3%). The greatest percentage of senior circuit court judges were appointed by President Reagan (33.3%).\nOf the active U.S. circuit court judges, 51.2% are white men, 25.3% are white women, 16.7% are non-white men, and 6.8% are non-white women. Altogether, 48.8% of active circuit court judges are nontraditional judges. In contrast, of senior circuit court judges, 80.7% are white men, 9.6% are white women, 8.8% are non-white men, and less than 1.0% are non-white women. Altogether, 19.3% of senior circuit court judges are nontraditional judges.\nAfter five years in office, President Obama has appointed the greatest percentage of nontraditional active U.S. circuit court judges currently sitting on the bench (34.2%), followed by Presidents Clinton (32.9%) and G.W. Bush (25.3%). Of senior circuit court judges, President Carter appointed the greatest percentage (54.5%).\nThere is, however, variation in the percentage of active circuit court judges belonging to specific demographic groups that were appointed by particular Presidents. For example, of women serving as active circuit court judges as of March 7, 2014, Presidents G.W. Bush and Clinton tied for having appointed the greatest percentage (each with 30.8%).\nAs of December 31, 2013, 32.5% of active circuit court judges were eligible, based on age and length of service as Article III judges, to assume senior status. Of those eligible for senior status, President Clinton appointed nearly half (47.2%). As of this writing, CRS has not calculated such statistics for active U.S. district court judges.\nThe greatest percentage of active district court judges were appointed by President G.W. Bush (38.8%), followed by President Obama (29.7%). The greatest percentage of senior district court judges were appointed by President Reagan (29.2%).\nOf active U.S. district court judges, 52.7% are white men, 22.1% are white women, 15.4% are non-white men, and 9.8% are non-white women. Altogether, 47.3% of active district court judges are nontraditional judges. Of senior district court judges, 78.5% are white men, 11.0% are white women, 8.7% are non-white men, and 1.8% are non-white women. Altogether, 21.5% of senior district court judges are nontraditional judges.\nOf nontraditional active U.S. district court judges currently on the bench, President Obama has appointed the greatest percentage (38.6%), followed by Presidents G.W. Bush (28.8%) and Clinton (22.8%). Of senior district court judges, Presidents Clinton and Carter appointed the greatest percentages (48.9% and 22.3%, respectively).\nThere is, however, variation in the percentage of active district court judges belonging to specific demographic groups that were appointed by particular Presidents. For example, of Hispanics serving as active district court judges, President G.W. Bush appointed the greatest percentage (42.6%).", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43426", "sha1": "fb86ad2c52cab1465262362c2540263b58285fc0", "filename": "files/20140319_R43426_fb86ad2c52cab1465262362c2540263b58285fc0.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43426", "sha1": "d8c27de098419088615774ca761082672867cc67", "filename": "files/20140319_R43426_d8c27de098419088615774ca761082672867cc67.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [] } ], "topics": [] }