This table tracks milestones in federal judges' careers, including appointments to the bench, elevations to a new judicial position, taking senior status, retiring, and death.
Elevated
Rodney W. Sippel
Position:
Chief U.S. District Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
Date:
January 1, 2016
Succeeding U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry
Senior Status
Gary L. Sharpe
Position:
U.S. District Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York
Date:
January 1, 2016
Elevated
Orlando L. Garcia
Position:
Chief U.S. District Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
Date:
January 1, 2016
Succeeding U.S. District Judge Samuel F. Biery, Jr.
Appointed
Omar J. Aboulhosn
Position:
U.S. Magistrate Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
Date:
January 1, 2016
Senior Status
Reggie B. Walton
Position:
U.S. District Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
Date:
December 31, 2015
Retired
R. Clarke Vandervort
Position:
U.S. Magistrate Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia
Date:
December 31, 2015
Elevated
Timothy Burgess
Position:
Chief U.S. District Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska
Date:
December 31, 2015
Succeeding U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline
Elevated
Denise Page Hood
Position:
Chief U.S. District Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
Date:
December 31, 2015
Succeeding U.S. District Judge Gerald E. Rosen
Senior Status
Richard Smoak
Position:
U.S. District Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
Date:
December 31, 2015
Senior Status
Ralph R. Beistline
Position:
Chief U.S. District Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska
Date:
December 31, 2015
Appointed
Barbara Carol Moses
Position:
U.S. Magistrate Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Date:
December 23, 2015
Appointed
Michael J. Roemer
Position:
U.S. Magistrate Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
Date:
December 18, 2015
Deceased
Howell W. Melton
Position:
Senior U.S. District Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
Date:
December 18, 2015
Appointed
Joseph H. Perez-Montes
Position:
U.S. Magistrate Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
Date:
December 16, 2015
Appointed
Travis Randall McDonough
Position:
U.S. District Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee
Date:
December 15, 2015
Retired
James D. Kirk
Position:
U.S. Magistrate Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
Date:
December 15, 2015
Senior Status
Harry Pregerson
Position:
U.S. Court of Appeals Judge
Court:
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Date:
December 11, 2015
Deceased
Donald J. Stohr
Position:
Senior U.S. District Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
Date:
December 10, 2015
Deceased
Shelby Highsmith
Position:
Senior U.S. District Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Date:
December 2, 2015
Appointed
Leon Schydlower
Position:
U.S. Magistrate Judge
Court:
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
Date:
December 1, 2015