Beyond Non-JD

@cspan I’m surprised he didn’t go with a “turn the planes around” telephone call!

@magajacobrobben @SenatorRisch @MikeCrapo will keep trying! But given Trump 1.0’s successes on CCA9 without a need for circuit blue slips, I think Ds will dig in deeper. May require a nuked filibuster. 🤷🏻‍♂️ crapo.senate.gov/media/newsrele…

@BeyondNonJD It is so absurd that Democrats won't allow for the creation of a 12th circuit

When is en banc not exactly en banc? When you're in the gigantic Ninth Circuit! Wondering when we'll get the draws for the early June hearings. ca9.uscourts.gov/en-banc/

It's hard for me to see any pre-2021 Senator wanting to trade seniority to join Judiciary at the end of the dais in the 120th (since there were openings recently on both sides). And it looks like a few incoming (likely) Senators would be great fits. Most likely to join?

The # for Public Laws in 2025 is an interesting one to compare. Curious how the Senate is doing in 2026 given that we're already 5.5 months in!

Yes, the Senate is mostly doing the 3:00pm Mondays to 1:45pm Thursdays schedule under @LeaderJohnThune. But important to compare with the schedule under @SenSchumer. Nice deep dive available on the Senate website for how 2025 compared to 2006-2024. senate.gov/reference/reso…

Article on Judge Tom Lee (S.D. Mississippi) going "senior inactive," which means no longer hearing cases. magnoliatribune.com/2026/05/15/gen…

Choose your PSG? Another one for the Grievance Panel. CCA2 Summary Order this AM. Circuits handling cases from IJs-->BIA is a new Trump 2.0 module for my LEALS intro course. Gets into courts, differences in types of judges, AIII review, & so much more. ww3.ca2.uscourts.gov/decisions/SUM/

@fjdinardo For all the headache, complexities, & backlash you'd get for freezing out a home state Senator on district court nominees, I think you're better off ripping the band-aid off and ditching them for good. Big Q for me is whether Rs or Ds would have the votes to do so first.

SENIOR UPDATE: Judge Staton (Obama, 2010, b. 1961 so going senior at the start of Rule of 80 eligibility) on 9/19/2026. Will district court blue slips stick around will become a bigger story. Up to 13 b/c Judges Domenico & Traynor future openings also included.

* Includes the two seats that would need to be backfilled due to elevations. So not exactly leaving Article III status, just moving on from those specific district seats.

If you include Judge Rice (because he's listed on the CCA9 website), we're now up to 37 Article III judges who have left active status or plan to* since the 2024 election results. Here's my breakdown of those 37. * Not yet including Judges Albright & Van Tatenhove.

Two of the remaining Carter circuit judges are hearing cases today in the Second Circuit. Judge Newman (Nixon district pick elevated) & Judge Kearse. All 14 of the CCA2 senior judges are still regularly involved in cases!

Of the 10 oldest Senators (via Wiki)? * 3 are retiring this year (McConnell, Durbin, & Shaheen) * 2 are running this year (Risch & Markey) *3 would be next up in 2028 (Grassley, Blumenthal, Welch) * 2 would be next up in 2030 (Sanders & King)

Looks like we're still waiting on the SJQ from Judge Domenico to be uploaded. His Q26 response for the district court nomination during Trump 1.0 while we wait. Lots of really great information & insights when you go through them. judiciary.senate.gov/committee-acti… @SenJudiciaryGOP

By my count (I may have missed), 3 former SCOTUS clerks for Justice Thomas were confirmed to district courts during Trump 1.0. I believe we're already at 3 for Trump 2.0. And that number would grow to 4 once Kasdin Mitchell is confirmed. Circuits? 1.0: 7 2.0: 1 (so far)

@hannahdnorton Hawaii's gift to Texas! mysanantonio.com/news/local/art…

Breaking: A federal judge has blocked portions of Texas' immigration enforcement law, SB 4, from taking effect Friday. The order prevents state police from arresting noncitizens for illegal reentry and bars state judges from ordering that arrestees be removed from Texas. #txlege

@RyanAutullo Hawaii's gift to Texas! mysanantonio.com/news/local/art…

Breaking: Texas' SB 4 Immigration Arrest, Deportation Law Largely Blocked Again #txlege news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/tex…

Article III "exits" in 2026 so far: * 5 active judges have "gone senior." * 9 senior judges have passed away (includes "inactive"). * 3 senior judges have transitioned to new careers. Next (likely) up? June 8 (Judge Watters) or if Justin Smith replaces Judge Benton before.

The mic picked up chatter during the VerHey vote focused on blue slips being in. Always interesting (for me) to see breakdowns. Blumenthal, Booker, & Padilla are the 3 @JudiciaryDems who have voted against all Trump 2.0 judicial noms so far. Note this is for a U.S. Attorney.

Did they just not update the Executive Calendar yet? EBM for next Thursday lists the four holdovers from this week. judiciary.senate.gov/committee-acti… judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/rele…