June 10, 2023 - FRESNO, Calif. – U.S. Representatives Jim Costa (CA-21), Jay Obernolte (CA-23), and Doris Matsui (CA-07) have introduced the bipartisan, bicameral H.R. 3223 - CASE LOAD Act, which would create five additional judgeships for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) is leading the companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.

Representative Jim Costa (CA-21

“Skyrocketing caseloads and staffing shortages in the Eastern District Court of California, have created a judicial emergency, that will only worsen if we don’t address it now,” said Costa. “Over a million Californians lack equal access to justice. My legislation will fairly address the need to ensure the court can fulfill the American promise of the federal judicial system.” 

“With a growing number of cases backlogged on the docket for the Eastern District Court of California, we have a duty to increase the number of judges on the bench to help them manage the workload,” said Padilla.“The bipartisan CASELOAD Act would add five judges to the court over the next six years so that the court can meet the demand of the ever-increasing caseload.” 

“The population of California’s Eastern District has doubled since the last new permanent district judgeship was authorized in 1978,” said Obernolte. “This has led to an untenable situation for our judges, prosecutors, support staff, plaintiffs, and defendants. Increasing the number of permanent judgeships in this district will help to ensure that our country delivers on the promise of access to justice for its constituents.” 

“The Eastern District of California is the federal trial court that includes five of the fastest-growing cities in California—including its capital, Sacramento,” said Matsui. “Understaffed federal courts for over 8 million residents across 34 counties means that there are many people who are not being helped, and that is a problem. To ensure that this court is able to fulfill its essential role for the foreseeable future, all communities in the Sacramento region should have equal access to it and to the judicial system. The CASE LOAD Act would create five additional judgeships and provide the human infrastructure that is urgently required in the Eastern District. Investments are needed to address this 20-year judicial emergency before it gets any worse." 

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California covers 34 counties, stretching from Bakersfield to Redding, and serves a population of approximately 8.4 million individuals. The Court has six permanent judgeships and has not added an additional seat since 1978. 

Covering many of the fastest-growing areas of California, the Eastern District cannot keep up with skyrocketing caseload and staffing shortages. The CASE LOAD Act would address this by creating five additional judgeships for the Eastern District, spacing them out over three federal election cycles. 

Photos and videos are available here. 

A one-pager of the bill can be found here.

The full text of the bill can be found here.
Source: Congressman Jim Costa