Third Circuit Developments: Open During Government Shutdown; Losing Judge Vanaskie as of January 2, 2019

As stated in a notice on the Third Circuit’s website, that court “is open during the Government Shutdown.  Oral arguments will be heard as scheduled.  All filing deadlines must be met.  CM/ECF will remain operational.”

The notice goes on to state that “Federal government agencies are expected to timely respond to emergency or expedited motions and cases.”  However, deadlines for such agencies in “non-emergency cases” will be suspended during the shutdown.  New deadlines will be set after the shutdown ends, and it can be expected, the Third Circuit said, that those deadlines will be “staggered,” in order “[t]o ensure an orderly resumption of work.”

Separately, as reported on Matthew Stiegler’s CA3 blog, Judge Vanaskie has announced that he will retire from the Third Circuit as of January 2, 2019.  He joined the court in 2010 after being appointed by President Obama, and he took senior status just last month.  Since he is a Pennsylvanian, Judge Vanaskie’s replacement should come from that state as well.