Navigation A recent program honoring the 25th anniversary of a landmark case allowing women to enroll in the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) also celebrated a broader theme: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s decades-long effort to remove gender bias from state and federal laws.
'USCourts.gov' Category Archives
Smoke Tests Protect Courtroom Air From COVID-19
Even as vaccines begin to protect the public from the coronavirus (COVID-19), one of the Judiciary’s biggest priorities is ensuring that the air inside courtrooms and hallways remains safe as courts schedule more in-person legal proceedings. A new U.S. Courts video highlights a simple technique used to protect court users: a smoke test, which […]
Leon DeKalb: U.S. Probation’s First Black Officer
Leon Elmer DeKalb made history nearly 80 years ago when he became the first African American probation officer in the federal court system.
Judiciary Seeks 2022 Funding, Cites Caseload Resurgence and Security Needs
Federal Judiciary officials have asked Congress for $8.12 billion to fund judicial branch operations for fiscal year 2022. The request includes funding to keep pace with inflationary and other budget adjustments, and to pay for program increases, including projected workload changes, courthouse security, cybersecurity, and new magistrate judges.
As Pandemic Lingers, Courts Lean Into Virtual Technology
As the coronavirus (COVID-19) has dragged on, a small number of courts have begun conducting virtual bench trials and even virtual civil jury trials in which jurors work from home. Here is a review of ways courts are using electronic communications to deliver justice during the pandemic.
Just the Facts: Trends in Pro Se Civil Litigation from 2000 to 2019
Most federal pro se cases are civil actions filed by persons serving time in prison. Pro se prisoner petitions spiked in 2016 after a pair of Supreme Court rulings made it possible for certain prisoners to petition to have their sentences vacated or remanded. Non-prisoners who file pro se actions most often raise civil rights […]
Autherine Lucy: Failed Integration Bid Left Lasting Legacy
The story of Autherine Lucy, who challenged segregation at the University of Alabama in 1956, is featured in the African American History Month page. Despite a federal court ruling, Lucy’s career as a student lasted just three days. But her fight against racism still inspires African American students today.
Peter Fay, One of Three Judges in Florida Who Served 50 Years, Dies at 92
Peter T. Fay, one of three federal judges from Florida who each served more than 50 years after being confirmed the same day in 1970, died Sunday in Miami at the age of 92.
Annual Bankruptcy Filings Fall 29.7 Percent
Bankruptcy filings fell sharply for the 12-month period ending Dec. 31, 2020, despite a significant surge in unemployment related to the coronavirus (COVID-19).
Judiciary Addresses Cybersecurity Breach: Extra Safeguards to Protect Sensitive Court Records
After the recent disclosure of widespread cybersecurity breaches of both private sector and government computer systems, federal courts are immediately adding new security procedures to protect highly sensitive confidential documents filed with the courts.