ED WHELAN: Senior-Eligible Judges. “The Senate will have the capacity to confirm lots of federal appellate judges in 2020. The only big question is whether there will be many vacancies. The answer to that question turns largely on how many sitting judges who are, or will soon be, eligible to take senior status (or retire) decide to do so. In April, I identified the dozens of senior-eligible appellate judges. Since that time, six or so have taken senior status or announced their decision to do so. Given the likelihood that other judges will use the year-end holidays to reflect on whether they should follow suit, I figured I would update and republish the list so that you will see where vacancies might arise.”

Patriotic senior Republican judges should take senior status as soon as possible, so that Trump can replace them as soon as possible.