U.S. District Judge Monti Belot has taken senior status, but his caseload hasn’t changed. Some judges take senior status to lighten their workload or as a precursor for retirement. But not in Wichita.
“How could I ever get away with working less when Judge Brown still works full-time?” Belot asked.
Wesley E. Brown, also on senior status, still hears a full caseload. He turns 101 on June 22. Belot, 65, once worked as a law clerk for Brown.
Belot’s senior status also opens up a district court vacancy in Wichita. President Bush could nominate someone for the position before he leaves office. Current U.S. Attorney for Kansas Eric Melgren, a Bush appointee, has been mentioned as a possibility, but he’s not talking.
There may not be any hurry. As Belot continues to handle his full caseload, there are 16 other judicial vacancies around the country rated as “emergencies” by administrators of the U.S. courts. One has been vacant for 14 years.