Biden Gets Vacancy on First Circuit With Kayatta Retiring (1)

Judge William J. Kayatta Jr. will step down from his role as an active judge on the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, giving President Joe Biden a fifth seat to fill on the court.

Kayatta’s intent to take senior status, a form of semi-retirement afforded to judges, became public through the Administrative Office of the US Courts website listing future vacancies.

Kayatta is an Obama appointee who presides in Maine and has served roughly a decade on the Boston-based court.

In his letter to Biden, Kayatta said he intends to take senior status on Oct. 31, 2024, ...