SAN FRANCISCO — U.S. District Chief Judge Claudia Wilken announced Friday that she will give up her leadership of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and take senior status before the end of the year.

By entering semiretirement, Wilken will lighten her workload and leave another open seat for President Barack Obama to fill. Ten of the 14 seats on the Northern District bench have opened up so far during his presidency.