Judge John M. Gerrard plans to take senior status next year, giving President Joe Biden an opportunity to appoint a new judge to the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska.

Gerrard issued an announcement Wednesday he would take senior status effective Feb. 6, 2023, with a yearlong transition.

Gerrard’s decision will create a vacancy on the federal bench in Nebraska. Gerrard will have served 11 years, and prior to his federal appointment, Gerrard spent 16 years on the Nebraska Supreme Court bench.

Nebraska has three active federal district judgeships — two in Omaha, and one in Lincoln. Such judgeships are filled by presidential nomination and Senate confirmation, according to a news release.

“Nebraska has a long history of promptly filling vacancies on the federal bench,” Gerrard said in the release. “And I am confident that Senator Deb Fischer and Senator Ben Sasse will work with President Biden toward the timely nomination and confirmation of a highly qualified successor judge. Because Nebraska has only three active federal district judgeships, it is important that the vacancy be filled as soon as possible for this busy court.”

Gerrard told The Daily Record he will maintain a full caseload pending the confirmation of his successor and a significant caseload thereafter. Senior judges essentially provide volunteer service to the federal courts. Nationally, they handle about 15% of the workload annually.

Gerrard is 68 years old. The Schuyler native was nominated by President Barack Obama on May 4, 2011, to a seat vacated by Judge Richard George Kopf, which he assumed Feb. 6, 2012.

“Judge John Gerrard is an accomplished, skilled, and respected jurist who has served Nebraskans on both the Nebraska Supreme Court and federal district court,” Sen. Deb Fischer said in a statement. “I value his counsel and friendship, and I have always enjoyed hearing his enlightening observations about life. I thank him for his many years of service to our state and wish him the very best as he moves to this next chapter.”