All of Judge Pauline Newman's claims against her colleagues on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit's investigation of her fitness to continue serving on the bench are "straightforwardly dismissed," judges Kimberly Moore, Sharon Prost and Richard Taranto said in a reply brief supporting their motion to dismiss the case (Hon. Pauline Newman v. Hon Kimberly Moore, D.D.C. # 23-01334).

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit will create a "learning center" with the goal of educating local public school students at the court, Chief Judge Kimbelry Moore announced Nov. 20 at the Federal Circuit Bar Association's 2023 Annual Dinner & Reception. The center is expected to open in September 2024 and will feature tours of the courtroom's "historic spaces" along with interactive education programming centering on "the intersection between law and technology." The center will focus on combining "civic education, the judiciary, and STEM" and cap off a multiyear renovation of the National Courts complex, the court said.

The U.S. Judicial Conference and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit approved a series of increases to various national and local court fees to account for inflation, the appellate court announced. The new fees, which take effect Dec. 1, include an increase in the attorney admission fee, from $238, which currently includes a $50 local court fee, to $300, including a $101 local court fee. Docketing fees for petitions for review and for mandamus jumped from $500 to $600, and a fee for search of court records will rise from $32 to $34.

Nine new members have been appointed to the Court of International Trade's Rules Advisory Committee, the trade court announced on Nov. 3. Representing the different sections within the trade bar, the new members are DOJ's Sosun Bae and Luke Mathers; Jill Cramer of Mowry & Grimson; the Commerce Department's Emma Hunter; CBP's Tamari Lagvilava; Joshua Morey of Kelley Drye; Richard O'Neill of Neville Peterson; R. Will Planert of Morris Manning; and Devin Sikes of Akin Gump.

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Chief Judge Kimberly Moore will announce a "forthcoming new initiative" at the Federal Circuit Bar Association 2023 Annual Dinner & Reception to be held Nov. 17, the court announced. Moore will give the keynote at the event, which will be held at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The Court of International Trade approved increased transcript fee rates effective Oct. 1. A transcript to be delivered within 30 days after receiving an order now costs $4 a page, while a 14-day transcript costs $4.70 a page. A seven-day transcript is $5.35 a page, a three-day transcript is $6 a page, a next-day transcript is $6.70 a page, and a two-hour transcript is $8 a page. The first copy costs range from $1 to $1.35, while each additional copy to the same party ranges from $0.70 to $1. Real-time transcripts, which are unedited and delivered electronically during a proceeding or immediately following adjournment, cost $3.40 per page for one feed, $2.35 per page for two to four feeds or $1.65 per page for five or more feeds. The price hikes were authorized by the Judicial Conference of the U.S.

The Court of International Trade will be closed Friday, Nov. 24, the day after Thanksgiving in addition to Thanksgiving. Judge Mark Barnett issued the order, noting it will "be observed as a holiday" by the court.

The Judicial Council of the Federal Circuit in a Sept. 20 order affirmed a three-judge panel's suggestion that Judge Pauline Newman shouldn't be assigned new cases for one year due to her efforts to impede the probe into her fitness to continue serving on the bench. The council said the evidence "amply justified" an order subjecting Newman to a medical examination and that her refusal to comply, among other things, thwarted the council's ability to decide whether she "has a disability that renders her unable to perform the duties of her important office."

President Joe Biden's two nominees for the Court of International Trade advanced to a vote before the full Senate following Sept. 14 votes in the Senate Judiciary Committee (see 2309120040). The nominees, Lisa Wang, assistant secretary of commerce for enforcement and compliance, and Joseph Laroski, partner at Schagrin Associates, passed the committee on votes of 12-9 and 18-3, respectively. All "Nay" votes for both candidates were cast by Republicans.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote on two nominations to the Court of International Trade during its Sept. 14 executive business meeting. The two nominees are Lisa Wang, assistant secretary of commerce for enforcement and compliance at the Commerce Department, and Joseph Laroski, partner at Schagrin Associates. The pair faced questioning from the committee in July, where the senators asked about their backgrounds and how their past experiences will shape their decision-making (see 2307270043).