Law & courts · legacy

Article III judges confirmed, by president

Lifetime-tenured federal judges (Supreme Court, courts of appeals, and district courts) confirmed by the Senate during each term, from the Federal Judicial Center and Senate records. Because the seats are for life, this is the most durable mark a president leaves. It also depends heavily on things a president does not choose: how many vacancies exist, and who controls the Senate.

Clinton

378

Most in this window, over two full terms (47 per year)

Bush

327

Two terms (41 per year)

Obama

329

Two terms (41 per year); left ~100 vacancies unfilled after the 2015–16 Senate blockade

Trump I

234

One term, but the fastest pace (59 per year): 3 Supreme Court justices and 54 circuit judges, the most for one term in this window

Biden

235

One term (59 per year), nearly matching Trump I's total

Trump II

56*

As of Oct 2 2026; a slow pace only because very few vacancies exist to fill, and no Supreme Court seat has opened

By court level

President	Supreme Court	Circuit	District	Total	Per year
Clinton	2	66	305	378	47
Bush	2	62	261	327	41
Obama	2	55	268	329	41
Trump I	3	54	174	234	59
Biden	1	45	187	235	59
Trump II*	0	10	45	56	~33

Two accents, two different standouts: Clinton on total (most, over eight years), Trump I on circuit judges (54, the fastest appellate pace in this window). Trump I's three Supreme Court justices reshaped that court; Trump II has confirmed none, because all nine seats are filled. Includes a handful of Court of International Trade seats in the totals.

The runway is not the president's to choose. Totals depend on how many seats are open and who runs the Senate. Trump I inherited ~100+ vacancies after Senate Republicans blocked Obama's nominees in 2015–16 (the Garland seat was the visible tip); Trump II inherited about 40 (roughly 4.5% of seats, January 2025), which is why his pace is low. Senate rules also compounded the pace over time: the 2013 and 2017 “nuclear options” ended filibusters for lower-court then Supreme Court nominees, and a 2019 change cut debate time, mechanically speeding confirmations for later presidents. A hostile Senate caps output regardless of will.