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NEWS RELEASE
BIDEN: INCREASE NATION’S
BANKRUPTCY COURT JUDGES
FOR RELEASE: October 8, 2002
WASHINGTON, DC -- In an
effort to address the severe shortage of federal bankruptcy court
judges across the nation, United States Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
today introduced legislation that would authorize new judgeships for
the nation’s busiest bankruptcy court districts including Delaware,
Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, among others.
“The dramatic increase in
bankruptcy filings in the past few years has created a serious need
for additional judgeships, particularly in Delaware – far and away
the nation’s most overworked bankruptcy court,” said Senator Biden.
“In these cases, timing is
often critical, and without these additional judgeships,
corporations could face significant and unnecessary delays.”
Senator Biden cited the
most recent data from the Administrative Office for the United
States Courts that shows weighted filings for the district of
Delaware exceeding 13,000 cases per judge during a one-year period.
The next busiest district, Maryland, maintains a substantially
smaller ratio of 3,000 weighted filings per judge. Weighted filings
take into consideration not only the volume of cases, but the
complexity of the case as well.
“The bankruptcy bar in
Delaware is among the most respected and accomplished in the
country, as are our bankruptcy judges. But the numbers clearly show
that Delaware’s bankruptcy judges are overworked. They need relief
from their staggering caseload, and they need it yesterday,” said
Biden.
Specifically, the bill
would authorize a total of 28 new, temporary judgeships and the
extension of four existing temporary positions. Four of the
additional judges, and one of the extended judgeships, would be
slated for the District of Delaware.
The Bankruptcy Judgeship
Act of 2002 is co-sponsored by Senators Tom Carper (D-DE); John
Edwards (D-NC); Diane Feinstein (D-CA); and Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
The bill now goes to the
Senate Judiciary Committee for initial consideration.
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