The GAO study made available today revealed the following regarding non-case related judicial travel. From January 1, 1995 to September 30, 1997, the courts of appeal requesting new judgeships took 1,463 non-case related travel trips encompassing 3,220 workdays. During the same time frame, the district courts requesting new judgeships took 3,207 non-case relate trips encompassing 8,547 workdays.
Many of the trips were to exotic locations and for purposes which appear far removed from judicial work. For example, in the Central District of California, one district judge traveled to Australia to attend a conference sponsored by the Australian Swim Coaches Association. And in another case, judges from the Central District of Illinois made at least two trips to Russia in 1995. Other destinations for judicial meetings include Great Britain, Israel, Poland, the West Indies, Panama, numerous trips to Italy, Amelia Island in Florida, Jackson Hole in Wyoming, and others. Each of the non-case related trips was paid for either by taxpayer dollars or private interest groups.
Sen. Grassley issued the following comment in response to the report:
"This GAO report clearly shows that Congress needs to scrutinize requests for additional judgeships much more closely. Federal judges, as public servants, have a responsibility to stay home and mind the store. It is unacceptable for district and circuit courts to engage in this much non-case related travel while at the same time arguing they need more judges because they can't get their work done in a timely fashion. Some argue that cases have been delayed solely because of vacancies. This argument doesn't hold water when so many workdays are being spent on travel, often to resort locations around the world."
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