Judge Carlos T. Bea, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit speaking during a panel discussion at the Federalist Society’s 2018 National Lawyers Convention, held at The Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 16, 2018.
A veteran jurist on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has informed President Donald Trump that he plans to take senior status, potentially opening up another seat on the court for the president to fill.
Ninth Circuit Judge Carlos Bea, 85, informed the president via letter that he intends to take senior status “upon the nomination, confirmation and appointment of his successor,” according to a statement from a court spokesperson. Although Bea intends to remain active on the court, the move would open up a spot on the court’s 29-seat bench of active judges.
