WASHINGTON, D.C. – Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch have introduced legislation to establish an additional federal district judgeship in Idaho for the first time in more than sixty years. Idaho is one of only three states (North Dakota and Vermont are the others) with only two authorized judge seats for the entire state. In contrast, the Central District of California and the Southern District of New York each have 28 authorized judgeships. If passed, the Crapo-Risch legislation, S. 209, would add a third judge to the District of Idaho.
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Crapo and Risch noted that the Judicial Conference of the United States – comprised of the Chief Justices of the Supreme Court and Appeals Courts, as well as senior judges from other federal courts – found Idaho to be facing a “judicial emergency,” one of 42 in the country. Based on caseload numbers per active judge, the designation comes with a recommendation for an additional district judge seat. Idaho’s caseload and large size would benefit from a third court seat. The Judicial Conference has recommended additional judge help for Idaho consistently since 2003, which was one year after Congress last authorized new judgeships or any state. The senators introduced similar legislation during the last Congress.
Idaho Congressmen Raúl Labrador and Mike Simpson also champion similar legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives
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