The foregoing time schedules may be summarized as follows: (1) From date of enactment to establishment of statistical system. (2) Accumulation and study of statistics_-_ (3) Obtaining approval of recommended positions___ (4) Obtaining appropriations_ Total After the appropriation is available the appointing authority is notified and the appointment process starts. If appointment was by the circuit councils, selection could be made within a month, followed by six to eight weeks for a character investigation of prospective appointee. I could not estimate the time frame for filling a position if appointment was by the President with advice and consent of the Senate. One study several years ago indicated that the average time for filling a vacancy for a United States district judge was eleven months. COST OF THE BANKRUPTCY COURT To provide a basis of comparison for estimating the cost of a separate bankruptcy court system, I have attached a statement of the costs of establishing United States district court judgeships. Variations between United States disrict judges and the new bankruptcy court judges would occur principally with respect to supporting personnel, travel and rental costs. The Court reporters serving United States district judges are authorized under Title 28, U.S.C. 7533. If the new bankruptcy judges are to utilize the same federal court reporter system, amendment would be necessary as the section limits the system to the district courts of the United Sates and Territories. The attached statement covers only the personal staff of the United States district judges. Each United States district court has an office of the Clerk of Court, which has one or more offices in each judicial district. There are presently nearly 2,000 authorized deputy clerk positions. The cost of these employees has not been included. The travel requirements of the proposed bankruptcy court would be greater than those of the United States district court on the assumption that under the new system the policy will continue to be for each bankruptcy judge to hold court in numerous locations throughout the territory rather than to require bankrupts, creditors and others to travel to the headquarters' cities. COST TO THE JUDICIARY OF ESTABLISHING A NEW DISTRICT JUDGESHIP Appropriation: Salaries of Judges: Salary of Judge Amount $42, 000 Agency contributions for life insurance, health benefits, and the 2,000 Total 44, 000 Appropriation: Salaries of supporting personnel. The Judiciary: Court reporter, ungraded___. Agency contributions for retirement, life insurance and health bene fits Total 19, 386 14, 824 13, 482 16, 255 20, 605 7,448 92,000 Appropriation: Travel and miscellaneous expenses, U.S. Courts: Travel, Judge and staff___ Library: Initial cost___ Annual cost (second and succeeding years)__ General office equipment---- Miscellaneous expenses (communications, supplies, etc). Appropriation: Space and facilities. The Judiciary: Rental of space and related services__. Appropriation: Expenses, U.S. court facilities: Furniture and furnishings Appropriation: Salaries and expenses, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts: Salaries and expenses of clerical staff (unit cost based on a ratio of one clerical position to every four new judgeships). Grand totals: Initial (first year) cost-- 8,000 20, 000 (4,000) 16, 000 6, 000 40,000 18, 000 50,000 Annual recurring cost-- 1 Nonrecurring. NOTE. The creation of additional district judgeship also will result in additional petit jury costs of approximately $30,000 per annum. |