U.S. Judge Tells Biden She’ll Leave Her Seat, Opening Vacancy

U.S. District Judge Victoria Roberts wasted no time telling the newly inaugurated President Joe Biden she planned to vacate her seat on the Eastern District of Michigan by taking senior status.

Roberts, an appointee of President Bill Clinton, sent a letter to the new administration Wednesday announcing her decision. She has spent more than 22 years as a federal judge.

Roberts’ decision to take senior status is something Biden will need a lot more judges to do in order for him to make an impact on the federal courts. Senior status is a form of semi-retirement afforded to judges that ...