Court appointments

Regarding “Senate trade-off: More Obama judges, Trump gets nominees (Page A8, Wednesday), in March, President Barack Obama nominated Scott Frost, James Hendrix and Irma Ramirez for Northern District of Texas openings, Karen Scholer for an Eastern District vacancy and Walter Counts for a Western District opening. Obama proclaimed “throughout their careers, these nominees have displayed unwavering commitment to justice and integrity.” Frost, Ramirez and Counts have served as magistrate judges; Hendrix has been an assistant U.S. attorney since 2007; and Scholer has served as a state court judge.

The districts now experience 11 vacancies in 52 active judgeships. Thus, the courts lack 21 percent of their cohorts, which complicates justice’s delivery. Resolving cases without onefifth of the judges places more pressure on the courts’ jurists. Every opening is a “judicial emergency” because judges manage caseloads 50 percent larger than the national average.

All five are highly qualified, mainstream nominees with the strong support of Texas Republican Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. They secured September Judiciary Committee hearings but have languished since then, mainly because GOP leaders refused to grant panel or final votes. Because the nominees are experienced moderates and the districts require all vacancies filled, they must receive swift committee and floor votes. Carl Tobias, law professor, University of Richmond School of Law