Just to keep up to date, from January 23rd's calendar:
4:00 p.m.: Proceed to executive session to consider the nomination of
John M. Gerrard to be United States District Judge for the District of
Nebraska.
The Senate Glossary defines an executive session as one where "A portion of the Senate's daily session in which it considers executive business." Wikipedia's section on the standing rules of the Senate has more, in addition to a list of the executive positions subject to advise and consent.
Here's background on John M. Gerrard. He was appointed on the recommendation of retiring Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson. This is the customary way that Federal District Judges are appointment when one of the state's US Senators are of the same party as the president. Alabama Senator Sessions has opposed Gerrard's nomination partly due to an opinion he issued challenging whether the executions by electric chair was constitutional.
If approved, Gerrard would fill a vacancy on the court (here's the Wikipedia page for the court, here's the court's website) and become its sixth judge. This is the only district court for the state of Nebraska. There are 89 such courts across the country. Each state has to have one according to the Constitution.
What is a US District Judge you ask? The US Court's website explains (its the trial court on the federal level) here's more info from the relevant Wikipedia page.
The appointment and confirmation has become increasingly contentious. Senate rules allow a minority to prevent confirmation votes - or any vote really - from going to the floor. Reports suggest that judicial vacancies have risen during the Obama Administration. Here are numbers from the US Courts site and judicialnomination.org.
For a list of Obama's judicial nominees, click here.
