Judicial Conference News Releases

The Judicial Conference of the United States today agreed to recommend to Congress the creation of 57 new Article III judgeships in the courts of appeals and district courts. If an omnibus judgeship bill is enacted into law, it would be first new comprehensive judgeship legislation to take effect in more than 26 years.

Two pilot programs – one that will allow pro se prisoners to file certain federal court documents electronically from a kiosk in a prison and a second that will provide judicial assistance to select district courts with unusually high civil caseloads – were approved today by the Judicial Conference at its biannual meeting in Washington, D.C.

The Judicial Conference of the United States today adopted a new system of case weights that will help it fine-tune its requests for new district judgeships; moved to seek legislation to preserve temporary bankruptcy judgeships that will lapse next year; and addressed sentencing reform legislation that would impact court workloads.

The Judicial Conference of the United States today adopted amended rules for Judicial Conduct and Disability proceedings that provide for greater transparency and also approved an updated Strategic Plan for the Federal Judiciary.

Federal courts have reduced the space they occupy and cut rent costs at facilities throughout the country, according to a report provided today to the Judicial Conference of the United States.

In the last six months, courts have begun to backfill some of the 3,400 staff lost between July 2011 and March 2014, and also restore funding for critical public safety programs, such as probation and pretrial services.

Federal Judiciary leaders today received a report on the impact of reduced funding due to sequestration – which cut court staff and delayed cases – and a separate report on an aggressive multi-faceted strategy to reduce the costs of court space.

At its biannual meeting, the Judicial Conference approved the latest in a series of cost-cutting measures. Conference actions continue the Judiciary's decade-long cost-containment efforts that have become increasingly aggressive as sequestration triggered broad cuts in court staff and programs.

Stating that sequestration has put the federal Judiciary "in uncharted territory," a federal judge told the Judicial Conference today that "we face a budget crisis that is unprecedented, one that is not likely to end in the near-term."

The Judicial Conference of the United States today agreed to close six non-resident federal court facilities—the latest in a series of cost-cutting measures implemented by the federal Judiciary’s national policy-making body.

Following on the heels of a cost containment summit convened last fall, the Judicial Conference of the United States today approved a series of money-saving initiatives in an effort to prepare for funding levels that will otherwise cause significant reductions in staff and court services.

The Judicial Conference of the United States today adopted a national policy that encourages federal courts to limit those instances in which they seal entire civil case files.

The Judicial Conference of the United States today received a report on the potentially dire consequences the federal Judiciary may face if a Fiscal Year 2011 funding measure is not soon adopted.

The Judicial Conference of the United States today approved a pilot project to evaluate the effect of cameras in federal district courtrooms and the public release of digital video recordings of some civil proceedings.

Submitting the smallest funding increase requested in more than 20 years, representatives of the federal Judiciary today asked a House subcommittee to adequately fund the courts in the coming year so they can cope with anticipated increases in case filings.