Ninth Circuit Judge Paul Watford to Resign, Leaving Vacancy

Judge Paul Watford will resign from his position on the San Francisco-based federal appeals court in May, opening a vacancy for President Joe Biden.

Watford was appointed to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit by President Barack Obama in 2012. He revealed his plans to leave the bench effective May 31 in a letter to Biden provided by the clerk of court.

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as a judge on the Ninth Circuit for the past ten years. I will be forever grateful to President Obama and the Senate for giving ...