The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (in case citations, 4th Cir.)

The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first.

The court has fifteen seats for active judges, numbered in the order in which they were initially filled.

Judges who assume senior status enter a kind of retirement in which they remain on the bench but vacate their seats, thus allowing the U.S. President to appoint new judges to fill their seats.

By tradition, the judges of the Fourth Circuit come down from the bench following each oral argument to greet the lawyers.