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Monday, October 13, 2008
Ind. Courts - "Court observers suspect it will be the future president naming one or two federal judges"
"Tumult of presidential politics blocks local federal judge moves" is the headline today to this story by Bill Dolan in the NWI Times. Some quotes:
HAMMOND | Federal judges aren't on the ballot next month, but Northwest Indiana voters could influence who presides over U.S. District Court of Northern Indiana courtrooms here and in South Bend.While President Bush has named three sitting judges and is trying to further shape the local federal judiciary in the final months of his administration, court observers suspect it will be the future president naming one or two federal judges.
Senior U.S. District Court Judge Allen Sharp, of South Bend, created one vacancy when he went into semi-retirement nearly a year ago. Bush created a second apparent vacancy last month when he announced he is nominating U.S. District Court Judge Philip Simon to move from his court here to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago.
Filling those two judicial vacancies is a process governed by the Constitution and tradition.
Normally, Bush would name two people recommended by his political ally, U.S. Sen Dick Lugar, R-Ind. The two nominees would be reviewed by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and given a final approval or rejection by the U.S. Senate.
Andy Fisher, spokesman for Lugar, said this isn't a normal year.
"Judge Simon came very highly regarded," Fisher said. "But the Senate Judiciary Committee isn't planning on meeting again. That means the Simon nomination won't move forward this year."
Posted by Marcia Oddi on October 13, 2008 08:11 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts