Randall R. Rader Leaves Post as Chief Judge of Court of Appeals, Stays on the Bench

2014/05/26

The top judge of one of the nation's highest federal courts will resign his leadership post amid a controversy involving a lawyer who appeared before him.


Randall R. Rader, the chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, tendered his resignation from the chief-judge position on Friday morning, according to the court's website. The move will become effective on May 30. He will be replaced as head of the 18-judge, Washington, D.C.-based court by a current judge, Sharon Prost. Judge Rader will stay on the court as a circuit judge.


The resignation comes weeks after Judge Rader wrote an endorsement of a lawyer, then recused himself from a pair of patent cases in which the attorney participated after the court took key actions in both cases.


The judge was scheduled to appear Friday at a legal program held by the Federal Circuit Bar Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The event wasn't open to the press, but the association released written remarks by Judge Rader that confirmed his resignation as chief judge. The judge didn't address the recusal issue, but said his change in status would give him time to sit as a trial judge in some cases, and to "pursue the joys and challenges of teaching" at U.S. and foreign law schools.