Obama puts his stamp on the judiciary

Nearly lost in the rush of last-minute congressional activity: The increased degree to which President Obama is putting his stamp on the federal judiciary.

The Democratic-run Senate — under new rules that forbid filibusters of nominees — confirmed a dozen judges this week, bringing the total number of Obama-nominated federal judges to 307.

That's more than a third of "Article III judgeships," which includes the Supreme Court, federal appeals courts, federal district courts and the Court of International Trade.

Obama is on track to name more judges than predecessors George W. Bush (324) and Bill Clinton (375), according to information from the Alliance For Justice organization — though Obama will now have to get judicial nominees confirmed by a Republican-run Senate that takes office in January.

"President Obama will continue to consult with senators — Democrats and Republicans — to identify lawyers with the necessary intellect, integrity, temperament, and commitment to equal justice under law to serve as lifetime-appointed judges," wrote White House counsel Neil Eggleston on the White House blog.

Judges receive lifetime tenures, and a president's appointment power gives him the ability to influence the law on issues that include abortion, gun control, police powers, health care, immigration and the scope of government authority.

Overall, Eggleston wrote, Obama's Article III appointments feature "two Supreme Court justices, 53 circuit court judges, 250 district court judges, and two Court of International Trade judges."

Eggleston pointed out that Obama has appointed record numbers of women, minorities, and gays and lesbians to judicial posts.

Obama "will continue his unprecedented commitment to expanding the gender, racial, sexual orientation, and experiential diversity of the men and women who enforce our laws and deliver justice," Eggleston wrote.