Senate leaders settle standoff on judges

WASHINGTON -- Senate Republican and Democratic leaders ended their standoff Wednesday over President Barack Obama's judicial nominations .

On the brink of 17 votes in a row to fill vacant judgeships, Majority Leader Harry Reid and Republican counterpart Mitch McConnell announced a schedule that would speed up the confirmation process.

Under the deal, the Senate would vote on 14 nominees by May 7, a dozen of them to U.S. District Court seats and a pair to the U.S. Circuit Court.

The deal came after both sides sought to settle a Republican grudge against Obama for making appointments during congressional recess, without votes.

Reid and the Democrats complained that McConnell and the Republicans were slow-walking the list of nominees .

McConnell insisted the pace was reasonable and demanded that the Senate debate a small-business bill . In response, Reid scheduled back-to-back votes on 17 nominees, including Reno attorney Miranda Du.

Under the deal, the Senate would consider two or three nominees a week before May 7. The nominees would fill District Court seats in Nevada, West Virginia, Utah, California, New York, Virginia, Louisiana, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois. The others would fill vacancies on the 4th Circuit, which covers the Mid-Atlantic region and the 9th Circuit, which covers the West.