Last Friday, while attention focused on the bailout proposals, the Senate quickly confirmed ten district court judges. As the National Law Journal reports, this leaves 23 district court vacancies and 11 appellate court vacancies.  More vacancies are on the way, however.

Looking down the road, another 15 judges have indicated that between now and early next year they intend to take senior status, which opens up their seats for new nominees, according to the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Two of those are appellate judges: Judge Lanier Anderson III of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, who will take senior status in Jan. 2009; and Judge Raymond Randolph of the D.C. Circuit, who will become senior in November