Representative Troy Nehls (R-TX), alongside Congressmen Darrell Issa (R-CA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), and Hank Johnson (D-GA), have introduced the bipartisan Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved (JUDGES) Act of 2024. This bill attempts to address federal district judge shortages, especially for judicial emergencies in regions that are spread thin.
As of June 30, there were 724,209 pending cases in federal district courts, according to Rep. Nehls.
The JUDGES Act would create 63 permanent judgeships from 2025-2035 in six separate phases; add three temporary district court judgeships in Oklahoma; call upon the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate federal court efficiency and necessities; require transparency from the Judicial Conference regarding judicial seat recommendations; and authorize federal case locations in Utah, Texas, and California to meet demands of larger districts.
The Texas congressmen said that this bill helps Lone Star State residents and Americans across the country have access to the judicial system.
“To ensure the orderly administration of justice, Congress must pass the bipartisan JUDGES Act,” said Congressman Nehls. “Our federal district courts are experiencing severe judicial shortages, causing many Americans, including Texans, to be denied access to our nation’s justice system due to an increase in population and a rise in federal case filings.
Nehls continued, knocking the current system in place, which has resulted in government sluggishness.
“This is unacceptable. As of March 2023, the Texas federal district court system has a backlog of 14,501 civil cases and 16,436 criminal cases. The JUDGES Act would authorize additional federal courtroom locations and judgeships in several states across the country, including Texas, to address this inefficiency,” concluded Nehls.
In August, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) commended the passage of the JUDGES Act and urged his colleagues in the lower chamber to send the bill to President Joe Biden’s (D) desk, saying that Congress has “failed” to authorize judgeships in the past, causing this crisis.
“Congress has failed in its responsibility to authorize sufficient judgeships and resources for the judicial branch, particularly in America’s fastest-growing communities like Texas,” said Sen. Cruz. “As a result, federal judges in Texas have been disproportionately burdened with crushing caseloads and excessive backlogs, hindering the efficiency and effectiveness of our judicial system.
Sen. Cruz added that “it’s our constitutional duty” to maintain the judicial system nationwide.
The JUDGES Act was passed in the Senate by unanimous consent.
