The United States Senate this week confirmed Peter Phipps, who currently sits as a District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, for a seat on the Third Circuit. The vote was 56-40, with three Democrats joining all Republican Senators in voting in favor. Judge Phipps now takes the seat that became vacant when Judge Vanaskie retired. Judge Phipps was confirmed for his District Court seat in October 2018, after having been nominated in May 2018. Thus, he sat in the District Court for less than one year before ascending to the Third Circuit. A...

In a development foreshadowed by yesterday’s issuance of the 2019-2020 General Assignment Order, the Supreme Court today published two orders dated July 8 that appoint Judges Ronald Susswein and Catherine Enright to the Appellate Division, effective as of August 1, 2019. Judge Susswein was appointed to the bench in Mercer County by Governor Christie in 2016. He sat in the Family, Criminal, and Civil Divisions there. He is a graduate of American University and Georgetown University Law School. He has had a swift rise to the Appellate Division, not having yet reached the point of...

Chief Justice Rabner has issued the general Assignment Order for 2019-2020. It is available here. As occurs every year, the eight Appellate Division Parts have been reshuffled. But some things remain the same. Judge Messano continues as Presiding Judge for Administration, and Judge Sabatino as Deputy Presiding Judge for Administration. Those two judges, as well as Judges Koblitz, Alvarez, Fisher, Yannotti, and Fuentes remain as Presiding Judges of their respective Parts. Judge Fasciale has become the Presiding Judge of Part B, a position previously held by Judge Simonelli. There are two...