U.S District Judge Mark Pittman, presiding over the Northern District of Texas-Fort Worth Division, recently found himself called upon to defend his management style before the Fifth Circuit. Ordered by the appeals court to rule on a plaintiff motion “in 10 days”, Judge Pittman complied, but not without response.
In his reply, he argued for the inherent authority of a district court to manage its docket, a right he considered to be broad in scope. His words and actions, however, seemed to have displeasured the Fifth Circuit, suggesting a gap in expectations on judicial efficiency and autonomy between different court tiers.
Within the 10-day deadline, Judge Pittman prompted an industry stir by granting a preliminary injunction to a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule. The now postponed rule, originally slated to go into effect on May 14, aimed to cap credit card late fees at 8%. This marked a significant drift from the range of 25% to 30% that currently stands.
This most recent incident is but a snippet of the larger discourse on court docket management and judicial autonomy within the United States. More on Judge Pittman’s case, including his extensive response to the appeals court, can be found on Texas Lawyer.