Fourth Circuit Judge to Retire From Full Service, Give Biden a Seat to Fill

Fourth Circuit Judge to Retire From Full Service, Give Biden a Seat to Fill

Judge James Wynn Jr. will take senior status, allowing President Biden to appoint his replacement

Published |Updated

Alec Dent

Joe Biden speaks at Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, on January 5, 2024. Biden’s speech comes ahead of the third anniversary of the assault on the US Capitol. MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge James Wynn Jr. will be stepping down from full-time duty on the court, opening another seat on the court for President Joe Biden to fill.

Bloomberg reports that Wynn will be taking senior status, a form of part-time judicial work available to judges serving in appointed seats who are 65 years of age or older and have been on the court for at least 15 years. With senior status, judges reduce their caseload, typically to about 20% of an active judge, and continue to receive their full salary.

The Fourth Circuit court has 14 members, two of whom Biden has already succeeded in appointing. A third Biden appointee is currently in the midst of confirmation hearings, and Wynn’s replacement would help Biden keep the ratio of seven Democratic-president appointed judges on the court.

Currently, five of the judges serving were appointed by Republicans, three of whom were appointed by Trump.