Senator Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., has introduced legislation designed to prevent "judge shopping" in federal courts by requiring the random assignment of cases. The bill, officially titled the Blocking Overt Attempts at Shopping By Enforcing Randomization Guidelines Act, or the BOASBERG Act, is named after U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, whom Schmitt identified as a "poster child for a rogue judge."
Schmitt stated that the BOASBERG Act aims to ensure "the American people can have confidence in the impartiality of our courts" by establishing a new standard for case selection. The legislation, which would give federal courts 120 days to implement its provisions, seeks to add safeguards to the process of assigning federal cases.
Key provisions of the bill include the mandatory random assignment of federal civil cases, a prohibition on chief judges influencing case assignments, public disclosure of case assignment practices, penalties for tampering with the assignment process, and a requirement for random reassignment if the Supreme Court intervenes in a ruling.
Judge Boasberg, appointed by former President Barack Obama in 2010, has presided over several high-profile cases involving the Trump administration. Republicans have pointed to his rulings in cases related to Trump's immigration policies, an election integrity order, and an investigation into a group chat involving administration officials as examples of perceived judicial overreach.
Schmitt's office claims that the BOASBERG Act is a critical step toward "court transparency" and restoring public trust in the judiciary by preventing judges from being perceived as handpicking cases that align with their judicial inclinations.