JUDGES Act of 2025

The "Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved Act of 2025," or the JUDGES Act of 2025, seeks to address the growing caseload crisis in federal district courts by authorizing a substantial increase in the number of district judges. Congressional findings highlight that no new district court judgeships have been created since 2003, marking the longest such period since 1789, despite a 30 percent increase in filings since the last comprehensive judgeship legislation in 1990. As of March 2023, there were nearly 687,000 pending cases, with an average of 491 weighted case filings per judgeship. The core of the bill establishes a phased approach for appointing new permanent district judges. It authorizes the President to appoint additional judges in specific districts across the country, with appointments scheduled to take effect in 2025, 2027, 2029, 2031, 2033, and 2035. For example, 11 new judgeships are authorized for 2025, followed by 10 in 2027, 11 in 2029, 10 in 2031, 10 in 2033, and 8 in 2035, significantly expanding the judicial workforce. Additionally, the bill converts one temporary district judgeship in the Eastern District of Oklahoma into a permanent position. To support these new positions, the bill authorizes appropriations starting at over $12.9 million for fiscal years 2025 and 2026, incrementally increasing to over $61.1 million for fiscal year 2035 and beyond, with all amounts subject to inflation adjustment. Furthermore, it mandates the Comptroller General of the United States to submit reports evaluating the accuracy of judicial caseload measures, the impact of non-case-related activities on caseloads, and the effectiveness of policies regarding senior judges. The bill also requires the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to make the Judicial Conference's biennial "Article III Judgeship Recommendations" publicly available online, including detailed information on the process, methodology, and specific court recommendations.