Judiciary Watch

Judge John G. Heyburn dies at 66

Hon. John G. Heyburn, II, Senior District Judge for the Western District of Kentucky, died yesterday after a battle with liver cancer. Heyburn was appointed to the bench in 1992 by President George W. Bush. Prior to taking the bench, he was with the firm Brown, Todd & Heyburn for 16 years. Heyburn was in the news recently for his opinion holding that Kentucky’s laws denying same sex marriage violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment in Love, et al. v. Steve Beshear. The ruling was struck down by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and is currently being argued before the Supreme Court. Lawyers interviewed for the Almanac of the Federal Judiciary described Heyburn as having “superior” legal ability and as one of the “top judges in the country.”

Senate confirms Hanks to Southern District of Texas

The Senate confirmed Hon. George C. Hanks, Jr. to the district court for the Southern District of Texas.  Hanks has served on the court as a Magistrate Judge since 2010, and previously served as a Justice on the First Circuit Court of Appeals of Texas.  He received his LLM from Duke Univ. Law School in 2014 and his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1989.  Lawyers interviewed for the Almanac of the Federal Judiciary said Hanks “has strong legal ability” and “understands complex issues.”  They also said he is “friendly” and “respectful” and is an “independent thinker.” 

Judicial Nominees slow to move in Senate

Yesterday, the Senate confirmed it’s first judicial nominee of 2015.  By contrast, in the first three months of 2014, the Senate confirmed three circuit court judges and 16 district court judges.  There are currently 55 federal court vacancies, with 16 nominations pending.   Since January, the Republican controlled Senate has voted only five nominees out of committee, but the number of current vacancies has increased by 12, and the number of judicial emergencies has increased from 12 to 23.  According to the Administrative Office of the Courts, the most prolonged vacancies are:  Eastern District of North Carolina, since 2005; 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals, since 2010; Southern District of Texas, since 2011; 5^th Circuit Court of Appeals, since 2012; and, Eastern District of California, since 2012.

Senate confirms first judicial nominee of 2015

Yesterday, the Senate confirmed it’s first judicial nominee of the year, Alfred H. Bennett, to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas.  Bennett received his B.S. in 1988 from the Univ. of Houston and a J.D. from the Univ. of Texas School of Law.  He was with Fulbright & Jaworski from 1991 to 1994, at the law firm of Solar & Fernandes LLP from 1994 to 1998, and later a solo practitioner.  Since 2009, he has served as the Presiding Judge for the 61st Civil District Court of Texas.