Roberts praises district judges in annual report

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts has praised the country’s district court judges as “selfless, patriotic, and brave individuals” in his annual report on the state of the judicial branch.

“District judges make a difference every day, and leave a lasting legacy, by making our society more fair and just,” Roberts wrote in this year’s report released Saturday.

{mosads}“That sense of civic duty is evident in the many ways that our district judges give voluntary service, in addition to their usual responsibilities, to the courts and their country.”

The chief justice wrote admiringly of the first class of 13 district court judges appointed by President George Washington in 1789. Today, there are 673 district judgeships authorized by Congress.

Roberts detailed in his report the burdens that such judges face, and the skill and hard work required of them.

His report comes three weeks before President-elect Donald Trump is slated to take office. Trump is slated to inherit an estimated more than 100 judicial vacancies, including one on the Supreme Court.

“Not every able individual has accepted the call and—in our imperfect world—a few who have accepted have not been up to the task,” Roberts wrote in his report released Saturday.

“But those are rare exceptions. Since Washington made his first thirteen appointments, each American generation has produced selfless, patriotic, and brave individuals who have stepped forward to serve their country with distinction as federal district judges,” he added.

“Our Nation is justly proud of our current district judges and grateful for their service.”