The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there were 3,600 federal judges and magistrates employed by the US government in 2008; however, they do not provide specific detail by court, tribunal or administrative law positions.
According to the 2009 Annual Report of the Director for Judicial Business of the US Courts, the following chart shows the total number of authorized judgeships by court, where numbers were available. Article III Courts are the only courts considered part of the Judicial Branch of the US, although there are other courts within the federal court system.
Federal Courts
Supreme Court of the United States............9 (Article III)
US Court of Appeals Circuit Courts...........179 (Article III)
US Bankruptcy Judges............................352 (Article I)
US Court of International Trade...................9 (Article III)
US District Courts (judges)......................678 (Article III)
US District Courts (magistrates)*.............523 FT/48 PT = 24 FTE
Approximate count.............................1,774(includes part-time magistrates)
* Magistrates occupy a lower judicial role than judges in US District Courts. District Court Judges appoint magistrates to eight-year terms; they do not hold lifetime appointments like other Article III judges.
Of the 1,774 tallied, 875 are authorized seats in the Federal Judicial Branch of government (Article III courts), excluding federal magistrates.
That leaves a remainder of approximately 1,826 Article I tribunal, administrative law, and other miscellaneous judges that are part of the federal court system, but not considered part of the Judicial Branch of government.
For more information, see Related Questions, below.
Congress can establish as many federal courts as it deems necessary to handle the cases that must be heard under federal jurisdiction. The Constitution addresses Congress' authority to establish federal courts and tribunals in Articles I and III.
Article I, Section 8
"To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court;"
Article III restates this authority without limitation.
Article III, Section 1
"The judicial power of the United States, shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The judges, both of the supreme and inferior courts, shall hold their offices during good behaviour, and shall, at stated times, receive for their services, a compensation, which shall not be diminished during their continuance in office."
All of them are appointed. They serve for life and new ones can be appointed only if old ones die or resign or Congress creates new judgeships.
As of now there can be appointed:
9 Justices of the Supreme Court
179 judges of the court of appeals
678 judges of the district courts
352 judges of the bankruptcy court
551 magistrate judges
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Federal judges on the US Supreme Court are called justices.
Recently, judges and justices appointed on a federal level have prior judicial experience. This has not always been the case.
No. All Federal judges are appointed, but most state judges are elected to office.
What are federal judges appointed for?
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On the federal level, no. However, some state courts elect their judges.
There are sixteen judges on the US Court of Federal Claims. They serve 15-year terms of office.(16)
Not in the US. Federal judges are appointed. not elected.
The Senate has no check on the appointments of federal judges.
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