Bankruptcy Filings Down 12 Percent Since Last June

Bankruptcy filings for the 12-month period ending June 30, 2015, fell 12 percent when compared to bankruptcy filings for the 12-month period ending June 30, 2014, according to statistics released by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

Academy Gives Probation and Pretrial Officers ‘National Identity’

The National Training Academy, credited with giving a “national identity” to the Judiciary’s 5,000 probation and pretrial services officers, has grown dramatically since it opened 10 years ago, according to a newly released U.S. Courts video.

2014 Report Shows Fewer Debtors Filing for Bankruptcy, But More Repeat Filers

Bankruptcy petitions filed by individuals with consumer debt were down in 2014 when compared with 2013; more individuals filed for bankruptcy protection under plans that included installment payments to creditors; and for more individuals, this wasn’t the first time they’d filed for bankruptcy in the last 8 years.

Two Senior Judges in Their Nineties Share Lifetime of Service

As they enter their mid- to late-sixties, many in the U.S. workforce will look forward to retirement and the pursuit of other interests. When Judges Edward McManus and Don O’Brien in the Northern District of Iowa reached the ages of 65 and 69, respectively, they took senior status. But unlike the general workforce, they didn’t retire. Decades later, they’re still on the job.

Ten Years of Online Clerkship Hiring

Ten years and approximately 9,000 clerkship position postings ago, the federal Judiciary launched the Online System for Clerkship Applications and Review, or OSCAR. The information and application system created a transparent online law clerk hiring process for applicants and law schools, while giving federal judges a way to communicate their hiring practices and timelines.

2014 Wiretap Report: Intercept Applications Down Slightly

The number of federal and state wiretaps authorized in 2014 decreased 1 percent from 2013. The most serious offense under investigation in 89 percent of all applications for intercepts was illegal drugs.

Celebrating 50 Years of the Criminal Justice Act

A recent public symposium celebrated 50 years of the Criminal Justice Act with panels on the challenges, choices and commitments of federal defense efforts, and what can be learned from effective defense practices outside the United States.