What would happen if the judge I'm interning for dies... Forum

[Anonymous User]

...before I start? God forbid. But he's senior status and 80+ years old. So if this were to happen...what then?

Yes, this is what I lay awake at night contemplating. Serious question, thanks.

[270910]

Under the Uniform Judicial Staff Employment Relocation Act of 1956, you're entitled to a small stipend and put into a pool for re-allocating the support staff of the judiciary. Usually it means you wind up working as a 'sub-intern' interning for an intern (as interns often intern for clerks) with a judge of similar prestige (per the OMB judicial prestige rankings, usually averaged over the past five years).

Sometimes they're called 'subterns', and there are always a handful each year. You have to mark it down as such on your resume, and some employers will be sympathetic but others will reduce your prestige score as a result of not being a full fledged intern. Since your judge already is senior status, that will hit your prestige score further, and might make your overall summer prestige quotient somewhere between 'RA for decent but non famous professor' and 'DA's office in a major city but not one of the most prestigious major cities'. You'll still get at least 4 prestige points, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. It's the poor fucks who can't land more than 2-3 during their 1L summer who are going to be in the most trouble IE.

[09042014]

Life expectancy for an 83 year old is 7 years. Don't worry.

[gregw8705]

They will apply the judicial line of succession rules and you'll be promoted to judge or permanent clerk depending on the circumstances.

[Anonymous User]

disco_barred: I'm a 3L who will be clerking on COA next year, and I've never heard of any "OMB judicial prestige rankings." I'm not saying you made them up, but could you provide a link? Google turns up nothing useful, and I see nothing on the website of the Office of Management & Budget either.

(Incidentally, when you Google "OMB judge prestige rankings," this thread is one of the top hits.)

[270910]

disco_barred: I'm a 3L who will be clerking on COA next year, and I've never heard of any "OMB judicial prestige rankings." I'm not saying you made them up, but could you provide a link? Google turns up nothing useful, and I see nothing on the website of the Office of Management & Budget either.

(Incidentally, when you Google "OMB judge prestige rankings," this thread is one of the top hits.)

Did they pull them offline? That's a damn shame. I know there was a lot of clamor after the 9th circuit was consistantly out-performing the DC circuit, but I didn't expect they'd actually shut them down.

Still, the committee probably publishes them, you'll just have to check with a local federal court house. They're technically the basis for compensation, so the entire system couldn't have been undone.

[A'nold]

disco_barred: I'm a 3L who will be clerking on COA next year, and I've never heard of any "OMB judicial prestige rankings." I'm not saying you made them up, but could you provide a link? Google turns up nothing useful, and I see nothing on the website of the Office of Management & Budget either.

(Incidentally, when you Google "OMB judge prestige rankings," this thread is one of the top hits.)

Did they pull them offline? That's a damn shame. I know there was a lot of clamor after the 9th circuit was consistantly out-performing the DC circuit, but I didn't expect they'd actually shut them down.

Still, the committee probably publishes them, you'll just have to check with a local federal court house. They're technically the basis for compensation, so the entire system couldn't have been undone.

They're not shut down. I have the page bookmarked but I can't figure out how to post the damn thing.

[Anonymous User]

Under the Uniform Judicial Staff Employment Relocation Act of 1956, you're entitled to a small stipend and put into a pool for re-allocating the support staff of the judiciary. Usually it means you wind up working as a 'sub-intern' interning for an intern (as interns often intern for clerks) with a judge of similar prestige (per the OMB judicial prestige rankings, usually averaged over the past five years).

Sometimes they're called 'subterns', and there are always a handful each year. You have to mark it down as such on your resume, and some employers will be sympathetic but others will reduce your prestige score as a result of not being a full fledged intern. Since your judge already is senior status, that will hit your prestige score further, and might make your overall summer prestige quotient somewhere between 'RA for decent but non famous professor' and 'DA's office in a major city but not one of the most prestigious major cities'. You'll still get at least 4 prestige points, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. It's the poor fucks who can't land more than 2-3 during their 1L summer who are going to be in the most trouble IE.

So a) what is my prestige score working for a Third Circuit non-senior judge, and b) this means that if one of my judge's colleagues die, I could get sub-interns?? That's amazing! Now I'm kind of crossing my fingers that someone dies so I get people to boss around.

[Anonymous User]

...before I start? God forbid. But he's senior status and 80+ years old. So if this were to happen...what then?

Yes, this is what I lay awake at night contemplating. Serious question, thanks.

I definitely wondered about this when I interviewed with my judge. He's 89 and didn't look too good.

[Chicklets]

Life expectancy for an 83 year old is 7 years. Don't worry.

TCR

[amped]

disco_barred: I'm a 3L who will be clerking on COA next year, and I've never heard of any "OMB judicial prestige rankings." I'm not saying you made them up, but could you provide a link? Google turns up nothing useful, and I see nothing on the website of the Office of Management & Budget either.

(Incidentally, when you Google "OMB judge prestige rankings," this thread is one of the top hits.)

Did they pull them offline? That's a damn shame. I know there was a lot of clamor after the 9th circuit was consistantly out-performing the DC circuit, but I didn't expect they'd actually shut them down.

Still, the committee probably publishes them, you'll just have to check with a local federal court house. They're technically the basis for compensation, so the entire system couldn't have been undone.

Hey did you know the word gullible isn't even in the dictionary?!?

[ToTransferOrNot]

Moment of hilarity:

Clerkshipdude: OMG! The Chief Justice of x State Supreme Court just hired me!

Pessimistic Observer: That State chooses the justices by election, right?

Clerkshipdude: Yeah, so?

Pessimistic Observer: The chief judge in that State is up for re-election, the election is 1 months after your clerkship starts

Clerkshipdude: Meh.

*fast forward to 15 days in to Clerkshipdude's fancy State Supreme Court CJ clerkship*

Chief Judge: So, the election is in 15 days. The state judge election laws don't allow me (or any of my direct chambers employees) to take much of an active role, but I do have a debate tomorrow.

Clerkshipdude: You're going to thrash him. The guy is an idiot.

Newscaster: *This just in, the trial court judge that is running against Chief Judge has a new ad out today*

Trial Judge: "Chief Judge was a PUBLIC DEFENDER 15 years ago. HE PUT CRIMINALS BACK ON THE STREETS FOR TECHNICALITIES!!!!! DO YOU WANT A RAPE DEFENDING LIBERAL CON ARTIST AS YOUR CHIEF JUDGE?!!?!?!??!!"

Chief Judge: Jackass, public defenders are necessary.

Clerkshipdude: Oh, you'll still thrash him, the populace at large understands the need for public defenders.

***at the debate***

Trial Judge: "OMG YOU ARE A CRIMINAL LOVING COMMIE LOLOLOLOLOLOL ANTI BUSINESS TRAINWRECK AND YOU SUPPORT PRO SE INITITIVES, WHY SHOULD WE ENCOURAGE EVEN MORE PEOPLE TO USE THE CORTS"

*raucus applause*

Chief Judge: *gives a thoroughly coherent, reasoned explanation*

ClerkshipdudeL (thinking: yeah! Take that, Trial Judge!)

*audience boos*

Trial Judge: OH YEAH?! ALLOW ME TO PRESENT TO YOU: THE CHEWBACCA DEFENSE

*raucus applause*

Clerkshipdude/Chief Judge: "..."

***the next day***

Clerkshipdude: Well done at the debate!

Chief Judge: ...

**election day, after the election***

Newscaster: "TRIAL JUDGE HAS OBLITTERED CHIEF JUDGE, NEWS AT 11:00"

Chief Judge: Sweet, now I can go make tons of money in private practice and on speaking engagements

Clerkshipdude: ... /killself


(this is an almost true story. Clerkshipdude didn't killself, and it was a senior justice, not the chief justice)

[NewtonLied]

I think that means you and the other inters fight and the winner becomes the new judge. That's how judges are selected, right?

[A'nold]

I think that means you and the other inters fight and the winner becomes the new judge. That's how judges are selected, right?

You cannot follow such a cool post with this. I'm sorry, 138 to you.