<P> District judges usually concentrate on managing their court's overall caseload, supervising trials, and writing opinions in response to important motions like the motion for summary judgment . Since the 1960s, routine tasks like resolving discovery disputes can, in the district judge's discretion, be referred to magistrate judges . Magistrate judges can also be requested to prepare reports and recommendations on contested matters for the district judge's consideration or, with the consent of all parties, to assume complete jurisdiction over a case including conducting the trial . </P> <P> Federal magistrate judges are appointed by each district court pursuant to statute . They are appointed for an eight - year term and may be reappointed for additional eight - year terms . A magistrate judge may be removed "for incompetency, misconduct, neglect of duty, or physical or mental disability". A magistrate judgeship may be a stepping stone to a district judgeship nomination . </P> <P> As of 2010, there were 678 authorized district court judgeships . A study put forth by Brennan Center for Justice at New York University of Law found that under the Obama administration and especially in the year 2009 there have been a "uniquely high" number of vacancies in Federal Court, averaging 60 or more from the years 2009 to 2013 . The Obama administration has blamed Senate Republicans for opposing (and therefore, not confirming) presidential nominations, while the Republicans say Obama has been slow to nominate . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Civil procedure in the United States </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Federal Rules of Civil Procedure </Li> <Li> Doctrines of civil procedure </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Jurisdiction Venue </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Pleadings Motions </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Service of process </Li> <Li> Complaint </Li> <Li> Answer </Li> <Li> Counterclaim </Li> <Li> Crossclaim </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Pre-trial procedure </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Discovery </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> Interrogatories </Li> <Li> Depositions </Li> </Ul> <Ul> <Li> Request for admissions </Li> <Li> Request for production </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Resolution without trial </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Default judgment </Li> <Li> Summary judgment </Li> <Li> Voluntary dismissal </Li> <Li> Involuntary dismissal </Li> <Li> Settlement </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Trial </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Parties </Li> <Li> Jury </Li> <Li> Burden of proof </Li> <Li> Judgment </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Appeal </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Mandamus </Li> <Li> Certiorari </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

There are approximately federal district court judges in the united states