PORTLAND — U.S. District Judge George Singal plans to take senior status next year, a move that will create a vacancy on the federal bench in Maine.

Singal plans to take senior status on July 31, 2013 and to maintain his chambers in Portland and hear federal cases in Maine, according to an announcement released by Chief U.S. District Judge John Woodcock Jr.

“We have all been fortunate to have had his dedicated service as an active judge and I look forward to his active engagement as a senior judge,” Woodcock said in a statement.

President Bill Clinton nominated Singal to the federal bench in May 2000. Singal received his commission the following month after winning Senate confirmation. He served as Chief Judge of the District of Maine from 2002 to 2008.

Born in Florence Italy, Singal emigrated to the United States in 1949 and was naturalized in 1956. He attended public schools in Bangor, graduated from the University of Maine and Harvard Law School.

Before he became a federal judge, Singal was a prosecutor in Penobscot County and worked at the firm of Gross, Minsky, Mogul and Singal in Bangor.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.