DC Circuit has no judicial vacancies for first time in more than two decades
The U.S. Senate on Monday confirmed the elevation of U.S. District Judge Robert Wilkins to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, giving Democratic appointees a 7-4 majority on the influential court.
Wilkins was the third Obama nominee to the court approved since early December and the fourth to win approval since last May, report the Associated Press and The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times. The last three judges were approved after the Senate changed filibuster rules in November to ease the way for approval of the president’s judicial nominees.
The D.C. Circuit has a full complement of judges for the first time in more than two decades, according to Justice at Stake’s blog Gavel Grab.
Though a majority of active judges on the D.C. Circuit are Democratic nominees, Republicans have a 9-8 majority when senior judges are included in the tally.
