Next president to name new circuit court judge

The country’s next president will get a chance to fill a vacancy on the federal appeals court in Atlanta.

Judge R. Lanier Anderson III of Macon has notified President Bush he will take senior status at the end of January. Anderson, 72, was put on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals by President Jimmy Carter in 1979.

“I was a little reluctant to do it,” Anderson said Thursday. He became eligible to be a senior judge seven years ago. “I was just having so much fun.”

Anderson said wanting to spend more time with his grandchildren made the decision easier. He said he intentionally made the announcement before knowing who will be the next president.

“I wanted to announce it before I knew who would be making the appointment and thereby be completely nonpartisan,” Anderson said.

By becoming a senior judge, Anderson will take on a reduced caseload. This creates a vacancy for a judge who, once nominated and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, will be assigned a full caseload.

The 11th Circuit hears federal appeals from Georgia, Alabama and Florida and is one rung below the U.S. Supreme Court. The court has 12 judges —- five from Florida, four from Georgia and three from Alabama.

By tradition, the next president will pick a Georgian to replace Anderson.

The 11th Circuit has remained relatively stable over much of the past decade. President Bill Clinton had four appointments. But President Bush has had only one —- former Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor.