Political Pressure Drives Forum-Shopping Curb, Texas Judge Says

A federal judge spotlighted by forum shopping in Texas criticized efforts by the judiciary to change case assignment practices, saying persistent outside forces are driving the policy response.

Reed O’Connor of the Northern District of Texas told a Federalist Society conference in Fort Worth on Saturday that the Judicial Conference guidance this year, which he said especially singled out federal judges in his state, was the result of “external political criticism.”

He said “thankfully judges and members of our profession pushed back” to ensure that “heavier to access justice burdens aren’t imposed on citizens in our district based solely on ...