Senior judge

Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. A judge must be at least 65 years of age and have served in federal courts for 15 years to qualify, with one less year of service required for each additional year of age. When that happens, they receive the full salary of a judge but have the option to take a reduced caseload, although many senior judges choose to continue to work full-time. Additionally, senior judges do not occupy seats; instead, their seats become vacant, and the President may appoint new full-time judges to fill their spots.

Depending on how heavy a caseload they carry, senior judges remain entitled to maintain a staffed office, including a secretary and one or more law clerks. States having a similar system include Iowa (for judges on the Iowa Court of Appeals), Pennsylvania, and Virginia (for Justices of the Virginia Supreme Court). Retired Justices of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and certain other retired senior British judges may, at the request of the President of the Supreme Court, sit as "acting judges" on a "supplementary panel" of the Court, provided that they are below the age of 75 at the time of the request.

Senior status is defined by statutory law, specifically 28 U.S.C. § 371. To be in senior status, §371(e)(1) requires that a judge must be annually certified by the chief judge as having met at least one of the following criteria:

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