Judicial Conference Announces New Policy to Curb 'Judge-Shopping' Amid GOP Backlash

The policy, aimed at ensuring random judge assignments in cases with national implications, has drawn criticism from Republican leaders and some conservative judges.

The Judicial Conference of the United States announced a new policy to counteract 'judge-shopping' by mandating random judge assignments in cases with national implications.
Republican leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, have criticized the policy, urging courts to resist it and claiming it favors Democratic interests.
The policy aims to prevent litigants from choosing judges known to be sympathetic to their causes, a practice that has been exploited in high-profile cases such as the challenge to the FDA's approval of mifepristone.
Some conservative judges and legal experts have expressed opposition to the policy, arguing it conflicts with federal law and could limit judicial independence.
Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, have praised the policy as a step towards restoring public confidence in judicial rulings.

The American Prospect