Judges: Bench Vacancies Reach Crisis

Swift justice is grinding to a halt in federal courts across the nation, judges say. With members of courts retiring at a rate of one per week and Congress deadlocked over confirming President Obama’s nominees, the backlog on federal court dockets is growing quickly. Three judges in Tucson, Arizona, are dealing with 1,200 cases apiece, and some courts are relying on “senior judges”—semi-retired members—to fill holes. In total, there are 101 vacancies nationwide. Administration officials recently struck a deal with Senate Republicans to try to ease the impasse over confirmations.