President Donald Trump is set to appoint a new judge to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, as Judge Leslie Southwick, appointed by former President George W. Bush in 2007, plans to semi-retire after his successor is confirmed by the Senate.
According to Bloomberg Law, this change will be the second appointment Trump makes to the Fifth Circuit during his second term.
Southwick expressed that serving on the court has been a significant privilege, but he feels it’s time to shift his focus to family and life outside the judicial system.
The Fifth Circuit is known for its conservative leanings, overseeing cases from Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana, with a majority of its judges, mostly appointed by Republican presidents, including six by Trump himself.
Trump has nominated Anna St. John, currently a judge in the federal trial court in New Orleans, to fill another Fifth Circuit seat, as reported by Bloomberg Law.
HUGE NEWS — President Trump will get another judicial appointee for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The highly respected Judge Leslie Southwick, a true gentleman and one of the nicest federal judges on the bench, will be stepping down. Huge opportunity pic.twitter.com/aKxTm3vx0O
— Eric W. (@EWess92) September 28, 2026
Judicial nominees can be confirmed relatively quickly through unanimous consent; however, Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota has placed a hold on nominees due to the Trump administration’s pause on changing a wetland conservation policy established by the Fish and Wildlife Service under former President Biden.
Cramer has slowly begun to lift his hold after negotiations with the Interior Department to reassess the policy, which has been contentious among farmers and conservation groups. Farmers claim it negatively impacts their business and property rights, while those in favor of the policy argue it’s crucial for preserving waterfowl habitats.
If Cramer maintains his hold, it could complicate and prolong the confirmation process for the new nominee.
