Congress approves turning temporary federal judgeships permanent including one in California
WASHINGTON D.C.– On Tuesday, the House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation to turn ten temporary federal judgeships, including one in the Central District of California, into permanent positions.
The Federal Judiciary Stabilization Act was previously passed in the Senate and now awaits a Presidential signature to become law detailed a press release from the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"Ensuring greater stability for judgeships, including those in California, will help ensure our Judiciary can meet the needs of the American justice system. In making permanent ten temporary federal judgeships, we’re eliminating the uncertainty that comes with an unpredictable legislative budgeting process. This is a bipartisan issue that impacts both red and blue states, and I’m pleased to join my colleagues in both the House and the Senate in seeking to rectify this issue," explained Representative Ted Lieu.
The temporary judgeship for the Central District of California was created in 2002 and required regular reauthorization shared the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Last year, the Judicial Conference of the United States, a nonpartisan policymaking body on behalf of federal courts, recommended that the temporary position created in the Central District to help with a shortage of federal judges and heavy caseload be made permanent explained the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"Every American deserves the right to have their cases heard in a timely manner, but significant case backlogs too often delay California residents from having their day in court," said California Senator Alex Padilla. "The Central District of California is the most populous judicial district in the nation and cannot risk losing a federal judge. I am glad to see the House pass this commonsense, bipartisan legislation to make this critical judgeship and other temporary judgeships permanent."
