"Courts Exercise Discretion Amid Controversy Over 'Judge-Shopping' Policy"

The U.S. Judicial Conference issued guidance on the federal judiciary's new policy to prevent "judge-shopping," stating that courts have discretion in implementing the policy. The policy aims to randomly assign cases that could impact state or federal policies to a wider pool of district court judges. This move comes after criticism from top Republicans in Congress, who called it an "unforced error" and urged the Judicial Conference to reconsider. The practice of "judge-shopping" has been criticized by Democrats, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stating that it allows plaintiffs to target sympathetic judges.