IAALS Hosts Federal Judicial Screening Committee

In May, IAALS hosted the Udall-Bennet Federal Judicial Screening Committee, which was charged with interviewing applicants for an upcoming vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado and recommending highly qualified candidates to the senators. IAALS Executive Director Rebecca Love Kourlis and Denver attorney Hal Haddon served as co-chairs of the bipartisan, 11-member advisory committee. Committees like this that aid U.S. senators and other lawmakers in vetting would-be federal judges whom they might recommend to the White House are used in twenty-two jurisdictions, making them a substantial—but little known—part of the landscape of federal judicial selection.

IAALS has addressed this information gap with a recent report that describes the committees currently in place and offers guidance to senators and their staffs who may be considering establishing such committees.