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Judicial appointment history for United States federal courts

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The appointment of federal judges for United States federal courts is done via nomination by the President of the United States and confirmation by the United States Senate. The tables below provide the composition of all Article III courts which include the Supreme Court and the Courts of Appeals at the end of each four year presidential term, as well as the current compositions of the District Courts and the Court of International Trade, categorizing the judges by the presidential term during which they were first appointed to their seats.

As of April 7, 2022, of the 9 justices of the Supreme Court, 6 were appointed by a Republican president, and 3 were appointed by a Democratic president.[1][2][3]

As of December 31, 2021, of the 179 Courts of Appeals judges, 94 were appointed by Republican presidents, compared to 81 by Democratic presidents. However, out of the 13 federal appeals courts, Democratic appointees have a majority on 7 courts, whereas Republican appointees have a majority on 6 courts.[4]

As of January 15, 2022, of the 679 district court judges, 316 were appointed by Democratic presidents compared to 296 by Republican ones. Within the individual circuit jurisdictions, Democratic presidents have appointed majorities in 7 circuits and Washington, D.C. while Republican presidents have appointed a majority in 5 circuits.[5][6]

However, the party of the president who appointed a judge is a consistent indicator of that judge's judicial philosophy and place on the political spectrum, although there are cases where judges stray from their appointees.[7] Federal judges often strategically time their retirement so as to give the president of the same party that first appointed them an opportunity to nominate the successor.[8][9][10][11]

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of the United States was established by the Constitution of the United States. Originally, the Judiciary Act of 1789 set the number of justices at six. However, as the nation's boundaries grew across the continent and as Supreme Court justices in those days had to ride the circuit, an arduous process requiring long travel on horseback or carriage over harsh terrain that resulted in months-long extended stays away from home, Congress added justices to correspond with the growth: seven in 1807, nine in 1837, and ten in 1863.[12][13] The Judicial Circuits Act of 1866 then set the number to gradually be reduced to seven through the retirement or death of current associate justices. The court was down to eight when the Judiciary Act of 1869 restored the number to nine.

As of April 7, 2022:[3]

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
JEC RMN
/GRF
RMN
1
LBJ
2
JFK
/LBJ
DDE
2
DDE
1
Current 9 6 3 1 3 2 2 1
2020 9 6 3 3 2 2 1 1
2016 9 4 4 1 2 2 2 1 1
2012 9 5 4 2 2 2 1 2
2008 9 7 2 2 2 2 2 1
2004 9 7 2 2 2 3 1 1
2000 9 7 2 2 2 3 1 1
1996 9 7 2 2 2 3 1 1
1992 9 8 1 2 3 1 1 1 1
1988 9 7 2 3 1 1 1 1 1 1
1984 9 7 2 1 1 4 1 1 1
1980 9 7 2 1 4 1 1 1 1
Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant RMN
/GRF
RMN
1
LBJ
2
JFK
/LBJ
DDE
2
DDE
1
HST
2
FDR
/HST
FDR
3
FDR
2
FDR
1
HCH JCC
2
WGH
/JCC
TWW
2
TWW
1
WHT
1976 9 7 2 1 4 1 1 1 1
1972 9 6 3 4 1 1 1 1 1
1968 9 4 5 2 1 1 3 2
1964 9 4 5 2 1 3 1 2
1960 9 5 4 2 3 1 3
1956 9 3 6 3 1 1 4
1952 9 0 9 2 2 1 4
1948 9 0 9 2 2 5
1944 9 2 7 3 5 1
1940 9 3 6 5 2 1 1
1936 9 7 2 3 1 2 2 1
1932 9 7 2 3 1 2 2 1
Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JCC
2
WGH
/JCC
TWW
2
TWW
1
WHT TR
2
WMK
/TR
WMK
1
SGC
2
BH SGC
1
JAG
/CAA
RBH USG
2
USG
1
AL
/AJ
AL 1
1928 9 7 2 1 4 2 1 1
1924 9 7 2 4 2 1 1 1
1920 9 5 4 3 3 2 1
1916 9 5 4 3 3 2 1
1912 9 8 1 6 2 1
1908 9 6 3 1 2 1 2 1 1 1
1904 9 6 3 2 1 2 2 1 1
1900 9 6 3 1 2 3 1 1 1
1896 9 6 3 2 3 1 1 1 1
1892 9 7 2 4 2 2 1 1
1888 9 7 2 2 3 1 1 2
1884 9 9 0 3 2 1 1 2

Courts of appeals

The United States courts of appeals were established by the Judiciary Act of 1891 as "United States circuit courts of appeals" (the name was changed to its current form in 1948). The act authorized 19 appellate judgeships in 9 circuits. Since then, the number of authorized appellate judgeships has increased to 179.[14]

Summary of 13 circuits combined

As of June 30, 2022:[15]

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
JEC RMN
/GRF
RMN
1
LBJ
2
JFK
/LBJ
DDE
2
DDE
1
Current 179 91 80 8 15 53 24 20 16 12 10 11 5 3 2
2020 179 96 81 2 53 24 26 17 15 17 14 5 4 2
2016 179 72 90 17 25 28 23 26 22 14 9 7 6 1 1
2012 179 84 78 17 30 24 30 26 17 12 10 7 5 1
2008* 178 100 66 12 24 32 34 25 21 15 7 7 1
2004 179 94 69 16 35 35 25 29 20 8 9 1 1
2000 179 76 78 25 35 29 35 28 11 14 1 1
1996 179 105 53 21 29 40 45 14 22 3 2 1 1 1
1992 179 119 42 18 40 50 20 40 5 3 1 1 1
1988 168 96 62 10 50 26 53 9 10 8 1 1
1984 168 66 76 26 33 57 15 17 14 5 1
1980 140 50 86 4 59 16 30 19 8 2 1
  • There were temporarily 178 appellate federal judgeships, due to the elimination of a 12th seat on the D.C. Circuit by Section 509 of the Court Security Improvement Act of 2007.[16] That Act also provided for the creation of a 29th seat on the Ninth Circuit in January 2009 which increased the number of authorized appellate judgeships back to 179.

As of February 10, 2022:

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
JEC RMN
/GRF
RMN
1
LBJ
2
JFK
/LBJ
DDE
2
DDE
1
Current 100% 51% 45% 3% 9% 30% 13% 11% 9% 7% 6% 6% 3% 2% 1%
2020 100% 54% 45% 1% 30% 13% 15% 9% 8% 9% 8% 3% 2% 1%
2016 100% 40% 50% 9% 14% 16% 13% 15% 12% 8% 5% 4% 3% 1% 1%
2012 100% 47% 44% 9% 17% 13% 17% 15% 9% 7% 6% 4% 3% 1%
2008 100% 56% 37% 7% 13% 18% 19% 14% 12% 8% 4% 4% 1%
2004 100% 53% 39% 9% 20% 20% 14% 16% 11% 4% 5% 1% 1%
2000 100% 42% 44% 14% 20% 16% 20% 16% 6% 8% 1% 1%
1996 100% 59% 30% 12% 16% 22% 25% 8% 12% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1%
1992 100% 67% 23% 10% 22% 28% 11% 22% 3% 2% 1% 1% 1%
1988 100% 57% 37% 6% 30% 16% 32% 5% 6% 5% 1% 1%
1984 100% 39% 45% 16% 20% 34% 9% 10% 8% 3% 1%
1980 100% 36% 61% 3% 42% 11% 21% 14% 6% 1% 1%

Partisan mix of the circuit courts

As of June 21, 2022:

Appeals Court
(in numerical order)
Total number of seats Percentage
of occupied seats
appointed
by
Republicans
Percentage
of occupied seats
appointed
by
Democrats
Republican/
Democrat/
vacant
Percentage
of total seats
appointed
by
Republicans
Percentage
of total seats
appointed
by
Democrats
Percentage
of total seats
currently
vacant
1st 6 0% 100% 0 / 5 / 1 0% 83% 17%
2nd 13 46% 54% 6 / 7 / 0 46% 54% 0%
3rd 14 54% 46% 7 / 6 / 1 50% 43% 7%
4th 15 43% 57% 6 / 8 / 1 40% 53% 7%
5th 17 71% 29% 12 / 5 / 0 71% 29% 0%
6th 16 63% 37% 10 / 6 / 0 63% 37% 0%
7th 11 70% 30% 7 / 3 / 1 64% 27% 9%
8th 11 91% 9% 10 / 1 / 0 91% 9% 0%
9th 29 45% 55% 13 / 16 / 0 45% 55% 0%
10th 12 45% 55% 5 / 6 / 1 42% 50% 8%
11th 12 64% 36% 7 / 4 / 1 58% 33% 8%
D.C. 11 40% 60% 4 / 6 / 1 36% 55% 9%
Federal 12 33% 67% 4 / 8 / 0 33% 67% 0%
Total of 13 circuits 179 53% 47% 91 / 81 / 7 51% 45% 4%

First Circuit

as of March 31, 2022:

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
JEC RMN
/GRF
RMN
1
LBJ
2
Current 6 0 5 1 1 2 1 1
2020 6 1 4 1 2 1 1 1
2016 6 2 4 2 1 1 1 1
2012 6 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
2008 6 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
2004 6 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 1
2000 6 4 2 1 1 2 1 1
1996 6 5 1 1 3 1 1
1992 6 5 1 3 1 1 1
1988 6 3 3 1 1 2 1 1
1984 6 2 3 1 1 2 1 1
1980 4 1 3 2 1 1

Second Circuit

as of March 31, 2022:

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
JEC RMN
/GRF
RMN
1
LBJ
2
JFK
/LBJ
Current 13 6 7 4 5 2 1 1
2020 13 7 6 5 3 1 1 2 1
2016 13 4 7 2 4 1 2 2 1 1
2012 13 5 8 5 1 3 2 1 1
2008 13 6 6 1 1 4 4 2 1
2004 13 6 7 4 5 2 2
2000 13 2 10 1 5 4 2 1
1996 13 5 6 2 4 3 1 1 2
1992 13 10 2 1 3 3 3 2 1
1988 13 9 3 1 3 4 2 1 1 1
1984 13 7 4 2 4 2 2 1 1 1
1980 11 6 4 1 2 2 4 1 1

Third Circuit

as of January 15, 2022:

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
JEC RMN
/GRF
RMN
1
LBJ
2
Current 14 7 6 1 4 3 1 3 1 1
2020 14 8 6 4 3 1 3 1 1 1
2016 14 5 7 2 3 2 3 2 1 1
2012 14 6 7 1 2 3 2 3 1 1 1
2008 14 6 6 2 3 2 4 1 1 1
2004 14 7 6 1 4 4 1 2 1 1
2000 14 6 6 2 4 1 2 3 1 1
1996 14 11 2 1 1 3 7 1 1
1992 14 11 1 2 3 7 1 1
1988 12 9 3 7 1 2 1 1
1984 12 6 4 2 1 2 1 4 2
1980 10 6 4 2 1 5 2

Fourth Circuit

as of January 15, 2022:

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
JEC RMN
/GRF
RMN
1
LBJ
2
JFK
/LBJ
DDE
2
Current 15 6 8 1 1 3 1 3 1 2 1 1 1
2020 15 6 9 3 1 5 1 2 1 1 1
2016 15 5 10 1 5 1 2 3 1 1 1
2012 15 5 10 6 1 2 3 1 1 1
2008 15 6 5 4 1 2 3 2 2 1
2004 15 8 5 2 2 3 2 3 1 1 1
2000 15 6 5 4 3 2 3 1 1 1
1996 15 9 4 2 2 4 1 1 2 1 2
1992 15 9 3 3 4 1 1 3 1 2
1988 11 6 5 1 2 4 1 2 1
1984 11 6 5 3 4 1 2 1
1980 10 4 6 4 1 2 2 1
  • Roger Gregory, who was given a one-year recess appointment in Bill Clinton's second term and was subsequently given a lifetime appointment in George W. Bush's first term, is counted as a Clinton appointee on this page.

Fifth Circuit

as of January 15, 2022:

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
JEC RMN
/GRF
RMN
1
LBJ
2
JFK
/LBJ
DDE
2
DDE
1
Current 17 12 5 6 1 2 4 2 2
2020 17 12 5 6 1 2 4 2 2
2016 17 9 5 3 1 2 4 2 2 2 1
2012 17 10 5 2 2 4 2 2 2 2 1
2008 17 13 4 4 2 3 3 2 2 1
2004 17 11 4 2 2 3 4 2 3 1
2000 17 9 5 3 4 4 2 3 1
1996 17 11 6 4 4 3 4 2
1992 17 11 2 4 4 3 4 2
1988 16 9 6 1 3 4 6 1 1
1984 16 7 7 2 5 7 1 1
1980 14 3 10 1 8 1 1 2 1
  • The 5th Circuit judges who were transferred to the 11th Circuit in 1981 are not included in the 5th Circuit numbers for 1980 for trend comparison purposes.

Sixth Circuit

as of May 24, 2022:

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
JEC RMN
/GRF
RMN
1
LBJ
2
JFK
/LBJ
DDE
2
Current 16 10 6 1 6 2 2 2 1 2
2020 16 11 5 6 2 3 2 1 2
2016 16 10 5 1 2 4 4 1 2 1 1
2012 16 10 6 2 4 4 1 2 1 1 1
2008 16 10 6 4 4 2 3 1 1 1
2004 16 6 6 4 4 2 3 1 1 1
2000 16 5 7 4 2 3 3 2 2
1996 16 7 6 3 3 3 4 3
1992 16 9 5 2 3 5 1 5
1988 16 10 5 1 5 3 5 1 1
1984 16 6 6 4 4 5 1 1 1
1980 11 3 7 1 6 1 1 1 1

Seventh Circuit

as of January 15, 2022:

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
JEC RMN
/GRF
RMN
1
LBJ
2
JFK
/LBJ
Current 11 7 3 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1
2020 11 8 2 1 4 1 1 1 1 2
2016 11 6 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 2
2012 11 7 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2
2008 11 7 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 2
2004 11 8 3 1 1 2 1 4 2
2000 11 8 3 1 2 1 4 3
1996 11 8 3 2 1 4 3 1
1992 11 9 2 1 4 3 1 1 1
1988 11 9 2 4 3 1 2 1
1984 11 6 2 3 4 1 2 1
1980 9 4 4 1 1 2 2 2 1

Eighth Circuit

as of January 15, 2022:

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
JEC RMN
/GRF
RMN
1
LBJ
2
Current 11 10 1 4 1 1 4 1
2020 11 10 1 4 1 1 4 1
2016 11 8 1 2 1 1 5 1 1
2012 11 9 2 1 6 1 1 1 1
2008 11 9 2 1 6 1 1 1 1
2004 11 9 2 6 1 1 2 1
2000 11 6 4 1 1 1 3 2 1 2
1996 11 8 3 1 3 3 2 2
1992 11 9 2 3 3 3 2
1988 10 6 3 1 3 3 2 1
1984 10 4 5 1 3 2 1 3
1980 9 3 5 1 2 1 2 3

Ninth Circuit

as of January 20, 2022:[17]

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
JEC RMN
/GRF
RMN
1
LBJ
2
JFK
/LBJ
Current 29 13 16 4 10 2 5 2 1 4 1
2020 29 13 16 10 2 5 2 1 8 1
2016 29 7 18 4 2 5 3 3 9 1 1 1
2012 29 9 19 1 5 3 4 11 1 2 2
2008 28 11 16 1 3 4 11 2 2 2 3
2004 28 8 16 4 4 11 2 2 2 3
2000 28 7 18 3 11 3 4 3 4
1996 28 11 9 8 3 4 7 5 1
1992 28 15 12 1 4 7 3 11 1 1
1988 28 12 13 3 7 3 12 2 1
1984 28 8 16 4 3 15 3 2 1
1980 23 7 16 15 3 4 1
  • SEC. 509. of the Court Security Improvement Act of 2007[16] provided for the creation of a 29th seat on the Ninth Circuit in January 2009.

Tenth Circuit

As of September 20, 2021:

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
JEC RMN
/GRF
RMN
1
LBJ
2
JFK
/LBJ
Current 12 5 6 1 1 2 4 1 1 2
2020 12 5 7 2 4 1 1 2 2
2016 12 5 7 4 1 2 2 2 1
2012 12 6 3 3 1 2 3 2 1
2008 12 8 4 2 4 4 1 1
2004 12 7 5 4 4 1 2 1
2000 12 5 5 2 4 1 4 1
1996 12 7 5 4 1 6 1
1992 12 7 3 2 1 6 3
1988 10 6 4 6 3 1
1984 10 1 4 5 3 1 1
1980 8 3 5 3 3 1 1

Eleventh Circuit

As of October 12, 2021:

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
JEC RMN
/GRF
RMN
1
LBJ
2
Current 12 7 4 1 6 2 1 1 1
2020 12 7 5 6 2 2 1 1
2016 12 3 8 1 3 2 1 3 1 1
2012 12 4 6 2 2 1 3 1 2 1
2008 12 7 5 1 3 1 4 1 1 1
2004 12 7 5 1 3 1 4 1 1 1
2000 12 6 5 1 3 1 4 1 1 1
1996 12 8 2 2 1 4 2 1 2
1992 12 8 3 1 4 2 3 2
1988 12 6 6 2 6 3 1
1984 12 4 8 7 3 1 1
1980 12 4 8 7 3 1 1
  • The 11th Circuit was created in 1981. The judges that were transferred from the 5th Circuit to the 11th Circuit are shown in 1980 for trend comparison purposes.

D.C. Circuit

as of June 30, 2022:

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
JEC RMN
/GRF
RMN
1
LBJ
2
JFK
/LBJ
Current 11 4 5 2 3 4 1 1
2020 11 4 7 3 4 1 2 1
2016 11 4 7 4 3 1 2 1
2012 11 5 3 3 3 1 2 1 1
2008* 11 6 3 2 3 1 2 1 2
2004 12 5 4 3 1 1 2 2 2 1
2000 12 5 4 3 1 2 2 3 1
1996 12 6 4 2 2 2 4 2
1992 12 7 4 1 2 5 4
1988 12 6 5 1 5 1 4 1
1984 12 3 7 2 3 4 2 1
1980 11 3 8 4 3 2 2
  • SEC. 509. of the Court Security Improvement Act of 2007[16] eliminated the 12th seat on the D.C. Circuit.

Federal Circuit

as of February 10, 2022:

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
JEC RMN
/GRF
RMN
1
LBJ
2
JFK
/LBJ
DDE
2
Current 12 4 8 2 4 1 1 1 1 1 1
2020 12 4 8 4 3 1 1 1 1 1
2016 12 4 8 4 3 1 1 1 1 1
2012 12 5 4 3 3 1 1 1 2 1
2008 12 8 4 1 1 3 1 3 2 1
2004 12 8 4 1 3 1 4 2 1
2000 12 7 4 1 3 1 4 2 1
1996 12 10 1 1 1 5 3 1 1
1992 12 10 1 1 5 3 1 1 1
1988 12 7 3 2 3 2 3 1 1
1984 12 7 5 2 3 1 3 1 1 1
1980 11 6 5 3 1 4 1 1 1
  • The Federal Circuit was created in 1982. The judges from the courts that were combined into the Federal Circuit are shown in 1980 for trend comparison purposes.

District courts

Summary of 91 district courts

as of July 15, 2022:[15]

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
JEC
Current 679 289 324 66 53 171 123 114 54 51 21 13 5 5 3
2020 678 318 317 43 173 124 136 64 64 34 22 7 6 4 1
  • Current (January 15, 2022) vacancies are 70 District judgeships/judges per uscourts.gov. 174 Trump-nominated District judges (177 judgeships, as one Trump nominees serves in two districts and one in three districts) were confirmed, of which 170 judges (173 judgeships) are currently serving. Four judges were subsequently elevated to Circuit Courts (Quattlebaum, Phipps, Brasher, Walker). (174+3-4=173)
  • Congress has authorized 678 district judgeships including 674 Article III judgeships for the 50 States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico plus 4 Article IV judgeships for Guam, Northern Marianas, and the Virgin Islands. The 674 Article III judgeships include 664 permanent and 10 temporary judgeships.[18]
  • However, the number of total authorized Article III District Judge positions is currently higher than 674 (679 in 2021) because four judges are authorized to serve a collective five additional judicial districts: one two-District (Trump-nominated) Judge in the Sixth, two two-District (one Clinton-nominated & one Obama-nominated) Judges in the Eighth and one three-district (Trump-nominated) Judge in the Tenth Circuit – see individual districts below for more details.

Partisan mix of the district courts

as of January 15, 2022:

District courts
under the
appeals court
Total
number
of seats
Percentage
of occupied seats
appointed
by
Republicans
Percentage
of occupied seats
appointed
by
Democrats
Republican/
Democrat/
vacant
Percentage
of total seats
appointed
by
Republicans
Percentage
of total seats
appointed
by
Democrats
Percentage
of total seats
currently
vacant
1st 29 38% 62% 9 / 15 / 5 31% 52% 17%
2nd 63 30% 70% 16 / 38 / 10 25% 60% 14%
3rd 59 49% 51% 25 / 26 / 8 42% 44% 14%
4th 56 48% 52% 25 / 27 / 4 45% 48% 7%
5th 83 65% 35% 50 / 27 / 6 61% 33% 6%
6th 63 56% 44% 35 / 27 / 1 56% 43% 2%
7th 47 41% 59% 18 / 26 / 3 38% 55% 6%
8th 44 36% 64% 15 / 27 / 2 34% 61% 5%
9th 110 36% 64% 31 / 58 / 21 29% 53% 18%
10th 41 68% 32% 26 / 12 / 3 63% 29% 7%
11th 69 66% 34% 42 / 22 / 5 61% 32% 7%
D.C. 15 27% 73% 4 / 11 / 0 27% 73% 0%
Total of 91 District Courts 679 49% 51% 296 / 316 / 68 44% 47% 9%

District courts in the First Circuit

As of July 1, 2022:

District Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB
D. of Maine 3 1 2 1 1 1
D. of Massachusetts 13 2 8 3 1 4 1 1 2 1
D. of New Hampshire 3 1 2 1 1 1
D. of Puerto Rico 7 3 1 3 2 1 1
D. of Rhode Island 3 2 1 1 1 1
Total 29 9 14 6 2 4 7 3 2 2 2 1

District courts in the Second Circuit

as of June 8, 2022:

District Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
D. of Connecticut 8 1 7 3 1 2 1 1
E.D. of New York 16 6 7 3 2 4 4 1 2
N.D. of New York 5 1 3 1 1 1 1 1
S.D. of New York 28 7 17 4 1 4 6 8 2 1 1 1
W.D. of New York 4 1 3 1 2 1
D. of Vermont 2 2 1 1
Total 63 16 39 8 6 10 16 13 5 1 3 1

District courts in the Third Circuit

As of June 20, 2022:

District Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
D. of Delaware 4 2 1 1 2 1
D. of New Jersey 17 3 13 1 6 3 4 2 1
E.D. of Pennsylvania 22 9 8 5 5 8 1 3
M.D. of Pennsylvania 6 2 3 1 1 3 1
W.D. of Pennsylvania 10 8 2 8 2
Total 59 24 27 8 6 16 11 11 4 5

District courts in the Fourth Circuit

As of March 23, 2022:

District Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
D. of Maryland 10 1 9 3 1 3 3
E.D. of North Carolina 4 4 1 1 1 1
M.D. of North Carolina 4 2 2 1 1 2
W.D. of North Carolina 5 4 1 1 1 3
D. of South Carolina 10 5 5 3 1 4 1 1
E.D. of Virginia 11 4 5 2 2 3 1 1 1 1
W.D. of Virginia 4 1 2 1 1 1 1
N.D. of West Virginia 3 2 1 1 1 1
S.D. of West Virginia 5 2 3 1 1 1 1 1
Total 56 25 28 3 5 12 7 13 9 2 1 2 1 1

District courts in the Fifth Circuit

As of January 27, 2022:

District Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
E.D. of Louisiana 12 5 6 1 3 3 2 1 2
M.D. of Louisiana 3 3 2 1
W.D. of Louisiana 7 5 2 4 1
N.D. of Mississippi 3 1 1 1 1 1
S.D. of Mississippi 6 5 1 2 1 2 1
E.D. of Texas 8 5 3 4 2 1 1
N.D. of Texas 12 10 2 6 1 3 2
S.D. of Texas 19 11 7 1 5 3 3 3 1 1 1 1
W.D. of Texas 13 8 4 1 3 1 1 5 2
Total 83 50 27 6 27 9 10 4 15 4 4 1 2 1

District courts in the Sixth Circuit

As of May 24, 2022:

District Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
E.D. of Kentucky 6 6 2 1 3
W.D. of Kentucky 5 3 2 3 2
E.D. of Michigan 15 3 9 3 1 4 3 3 1
W.D. of Michigan 4 3 1 1 1 2
N.D. of Ohio 11 5 6 3 3 2 1 1 1
S.D. of Ohio 8 5 2 1 4 1 1 1
E.D. of Tennessee 5 4 1 3 1 1
M.D. of Tennessee 4 2 2 2 1 1
W.D. of Tennessee 5 3 2 2 1 1 1
Total 63 34 25 4 5 20 9 6 8 6 2 3

Note: Judge Claria Horn Boom (Trump appointee) currently serves both the Eastern & Western Districts of Kentucky

District courts in the Seventh Circuit

As of January 23, 2021:

District Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
RWR
1
C.D. of Illinois 4 4 1 3
N.D. of Illinois 22 9 12 1 6 5 6 2 1 1
S.D. of Illinois 4 2 2 2 2
N.D. of Indiana 5 3 1 1 2 1 1
S.D. of Indiana 5 2 3 2 2 1
E.D. of Wisconsin 5 2 2 1 1 1 1 1
W.D. of Wisconsin 2 2 1 1
Total 47 18 26 3 13 10 13 2 1 3 1 1

District courts in the Eighth Circuit

As of July 14, 2022:

District Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
E.D. of Arkansas 5 2 3 1 1 2 1
W.D. of Arkansas 3 2 1 1 1
N.D. of Iowa 2 1 1 1 1
S.D. of Iowa 3 3 1 1 1
D. Minnesota 7 3 3 1 1 2 1 1 1 1
E.D. of Missouri 9 4 5 3 1 3 1 1
W.D. of Missouri 7 1 6 3 2 1 1
D. of Nebraska 3 1 2 1 1 1
D. of North Dakota 2 2 2
D. of South Dakota 3 2 1 1 1
Total 44 14 27 3 2 10 10 12 3 1 3 1

Note: Judge Rodney Sippel (Clinton appointee) currently serves in both the Eastern & Western Districts of Missouri. Judge Brian Wimes (Obama appointee) also currently serves in both the Eastern & Western Districts of Missouri.

District courts in the Ninth Circuit

As of June 22, 2022:

District Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
D. of Alaska 3 1 1 1 1 1
D. of Arizona 13 6 7 5 6 1 1
C.D. of California 28 13 11 4 4 4 1 5 3 5 1 1
E.D. of California 6 5 1 2 2 1
N.D. of California 14 11 3 2 5 4
S.D. of California 13 3 7 3 4 1 1 2 1 1
D. of Hawaii 4 2 2 1 1 1 1
D. of Idaho 2 1 1 1
D. of Montana 3 3 2 1
D. of Nevada 7 7 2 3 2
D. of Oregon 6 1 4 1 1 1 2 1
E.D. of Washington 4 4 1 2 1
W.D. of Washington 7 2 4 1 4 1 1
Total 110 29 66 15 19 14 24 21 7 7 2 1

District courts in the Tenth Circuit

As of July 15, 2022:

District Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB RWR
2
D. of Colorado 7 2 4 1 2 1 1 1 1
D. of Kansas 6 4 1 1 3 1 1
D. of New Mexico 7 3 3 1 2 1 1 2
E.D. of Oklahoma 2 2 1 1
N.D. of Oklahoma 4 3 1 1 1 1
W.D. of Oklahoma 7 7 6 1
D. of Utah 5 2 2 1 2 1 1
D. of Wyoming 3 1 1 1 1 1
Total 41 24 11 6 4 15 4 3 4 4 1

Note: Judge John Heil III (Trump appointee) currently serves on the Eastern, Northern, & Western Districts of Oklahoma

District courts in the Eleventh Circuit

As of July 9, 2022:

District Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
WJC
1
GHWB
M.D. of Alabama 3 2 1 2
N.D. of Alabama 8 6 2 4 1 1 2
S.D. of Alabama 3 3 2 1
M.D. of Florida 15 9 5 1 5 4 1 2 1 1
N.D. of Florida 4 3 1 2 1 1
S.D. of Florida 18 9 7 2 5 3 2 3 2 1
M.D. of Georgia 4 2 2 1 1 1 1
N.D. of Georgia 11 5 6 2 4 3 1 1
S.D. of Georgia 3 3 1 2
Total 69 42 23 4 2 26 12 7 6 8 2 2

District court in the D.C. Circuit

As of October 26, 2021:

District Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
WJC
2
D. of Columbia 15 4 11 0 2 4 4 4 1
Total 15 4 11 0 2 4 4 4 1

United States Court of International Trade

The United States Court of International Trade is an Article III court, with full powers in law and equity, established by the Customs Court Act of 1980 to replace the United States Customs Court.

As of April 5, 2021:

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans
Appointed
by
Democrats
Vacant JRB DJT BHO
2
BHO
1
GWB
2
GWB
1
Current 9 3 4 2 3 4
2020 9 4 4 1 3 4 1

Acronym key

Acronym President Term Date range
JRB Joe Biden current January 20, 2021 - present
DJT Donald Trump only January 20, 2017 - January 20, 2021
BHO 2 Barack Obama second January 20, 2013 - January 20, 2017
BHO 1 Barack Obama first January 20, 2009 - January 20, 2013
GWB 2 George W. Bush second January 20, 2005 - January 20, 2009
GWB 1 George W. Bush first January 20, 2001 - January 20, 2005
WJC 2 Bill Clinton second January 20, 1997 - January 20, 2001
WJC 1 Bill Clinton first January 20, 1993 - January 20, 1997
GHWB George H. W. Bush only January 20, 1989 - January 20, 1993
RWR 2 Ronald Reagan second January 20, 1985 - January 20, 1989
RWR 1 Ronald Reagan first January 20, 1981 - January 20, 1985
JEC Jimmy Carter only January 20, 1977 - January 20, 1981
RMN/GRF Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford split January 20, 1973 - January 20, 1977
RMN 1 Richard Nixon first January 20, 1969 - January 20, 1973
LBJ 2 Lyndon B. Johnson second January 20, 1965 - January 20, 1969
JFK/LBJ John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson split January 20, 1961 - January 20, 1965
DDE 2 Dwight Eisenhower second January 20, 1957 - January 20, 1961
DDE 1 Dwight Eisenhower first January 20, 1953 - January 20, 1957
HST 2 Harry Truman second January 20, 1949 - January 20, 1953
FDR/HST Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman split January 20, 1945 - January 20, 1949
FDR 3 Franklin Roosevelt third January 20, 1941 - January 20, 1945
FDR 2 Franklin Roosevelt second January 20, 1937 - January 20, 1941
FDR 1 Franklin Roosevelt first March 4, 1933 - January 20, 1937
HCH Herbert Hoover only March 4, 1929 - March 4, 1933
JCC 2 Calvin Coolidge second March 4, 1925 - March 4, 1929
WGH/JCC Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge split March 4, 1921 - March 4, 1925
TWW 2 Woodrow Wilson second March 4, 1917 - March 4, 1921
TWW 1 Woodrow Wilson first March 4, 1913 - March 4, 1917
WHT William Howard Taft only March 4, 1909 - March 4, 1913
TR 2 Theodore Roosevelt second March 4, 1905 - March 4, 1909
WMK/TR William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt split March 4, 1901 - March 4, 1905
WMK 1 William McKinley first March 4, 1897 - March 4, 1901
SGC 2 Grover Cleveland second March 4, 1893 - March 4, 1897
BH Benjamin Harrison only March 4, 1889 - March 4, 1893
SGC 1 Grover Cleveland first March 4, 1885 - March 4, 1889
JAG/CAA James A. Garfield and Chester A. Arthur split March 4, 1881 - March 4, 1885
RBH Rutherford B. Hayes only March 4, 1877 - March 4, 1881
USG 2 Ulysses S. Grant second March 4, 1873 - March 4, 1877
USG 1 Ulysses S. Grant first March 4, 1869 - March 4, 1873
AL/AJ Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson split March 4, 1865 - March 4, 1869
AL 1 Abraham Lincoln first March 4, 1861 - March 4, 1865

See also

References

  1. ^ "It took conservatives 50 years to get a reliable majority on the Supreme Court. Here are 3 reasons why". www.washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  2. ^ "Kavanaugh Confirmation Solidifies Supreme Court Tilt to the Right". www.rollcall.com. 6 October 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  3. ^ a b "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 117th Congress - 2nd Session". www.senate.gov. Retrieved 2022-04-15.
  4. ^ "Historic LGBT Confirmation Gives Biden Second Circuit Flip (2)". news.bloomberglaw.com. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  5. ^ "How Trump is shifting the most important courts in the country". www.washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  6. ^ "With another Supreme Court pick, Trump is leaving his mark on higher federal courts". www.pewresearch.org. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  7. ^ "Justices tend to agree with presidents that pick them — but stray later". www.washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  8. ^ Stolzenberg, Ross M.; Lindgren, James (2022). "Judges as Party Animals: Retirement Timing by Federal Judges and Party Control of Judicial Appointments". American Sociological Review. doi:10.1177/00031224221102072. ISSN 0003-1224.
  9. ^ Chen, Daniel L.; Reinhart, Eric (2022-02-19). "The Disavowal of Decisionism: Politically Motivated Exits from the U.S. Courts of Appeals". Rochester, NY. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  10. ^ Nixon, David C.; Haskin, J. David (2000). "Judicial Retirement Strategies: The Judge's Role in Influencing Party Control of the Appellate Courts". American Politics Quarterly. 28 (4): 458–489. doi:10.1177/1532673X00028004002. ISSN 0044-7803.
  11. ^ Spriggs, James F; Wahlbeck, Paul J. (1995). "Calling It Quits: Strategic Retirement on the Federal Courts of Appeals, 1893-1991". Political Research Quarterly. 48 (3): 573–597. doi:10.1177/106591299504800306. ISSN 1065-9129.
  12. ^ Federal Judiciary Act (1789), National Archives and Records Administration, retrieved September 12, 2017
  13. ^ "Judges on Horseback" (PDF). U.S Courts Library - 8th Circuit. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  14. ^ 28 U.S.C. § 44(a)
  15. ^ a b "Judgeship Appointments By President". United States Courts. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  16. ^ a b c "Text of H.R. 660 (110th): Court Security Improvement Act of 2007 (Passed Congress/Enrolled Bill version) - GovTrack.us". GovTrack.us.
  17. ^ "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 117th Congress - 2nd Session". www.senate.gov. Retrieved 2022-01-22.
  18. ^ Federal Judgeships, United States Courts.