Judge Vaughn Walker to Retire

Judge Vaughn Walker to Retire from US District Court in February 2011

Judge Vaughn Walker, whose decision struck down California's controversial Proposition 8, will retire from the bench in February 2011, stepping down as chief judge in December 2010. Judge Vaughn Walker was first appointed to the US District Court for Northern California by President George H.W. Bush in 1990. US District Judge James Ware will take Vaughn's place.

• Is Prop 8 Judge Vaughn Walker Gay?
• Text of Vaughn Walker Prop 8 Ruling
• Prop 8 in Effect Until December 2010

In his statement, Vaughn Walker wrote, "Concluding 21 years of judicial service, I leave the bench with the highest respect and regard for the federal judiciary, its judges and their staff and the essential role they fulfill in our constitutional system."