A controversial federal judge who was placed on an appeals court only after Senate Democrats blocked his nomination retired on Thursday.

Charles W. Pickering Sr. said he retired so President Bush could make a permanent appointment to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Pickering was a temporary "recess" appointment.

Pickering, a federal judge from Mississippi, was blocked by Senate Democrats twice over concerns about his civil rights record.

The 5th Circuit court hears cases affecting tribes in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Get the Story:
A Judge Appointed by Bush After Impasse in Senate Retires (The New York Times 12/10
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