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 "excerpt": "William J. Kayatta, Jr. is an American jurist on the First Circuit Court of Appeals, appointed by Obama in 2013 and taking senior status in 2024.",
 "snippet": "William J. Kayatta, Jr. is an American jurist on the First Circuit Court of Appeals, appointed by Obama in 2013 and taking senior status in 2024.",
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 "markdown": "# William J. Kayatta, Jr.\n\nWilliam Joseph Kayatta, Jr. (born 1953) is an American jurist serving as a senior judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit since 2024.<sup>[1](https://www.ca1.uscourts.gov/william-j-kayatta-jr)</sup> He was appointed to the court by President Barack Obama, confirmed in 2013, and served as an active judge for roughly a decade before assuming senior status on October 31, 2024.<sup>[1](https://www.ca1.uscourts.gov/william-j-kayatta-jr)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/biden-gets-new-vacancy-on-first-circuit-with-kayatta-retiring)</sup>\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Court | U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit<sup>[1](https://www.ca1.uscourts.gov/william-j-kayatta-jr)</sup> |\n| Appointed by | Barack Obama<sup>[1](https://www.ca1.uscourts.gov/william-j-kayatta-jr)</sup> |\n| Confirmed | February 13, 2013, by a vote of 88 to 12<sup>[3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130020)</sup> |\n| Senior status | October 31, 2024<sup>[1](https://www.ca1.uscourts.gov/william-j-kayatta-jr)</sup> |\n| Born | 1953, Pawtucket, Rhode Island<sup>[4](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394121)</sup> |\n| Education | B.A., Amherst College, 1976; J.D., Harvard Law School, 1979<sup>[1](https://www.ca1.uscourts.gov/william-j-kayatta-jr)</sup> |\n\n## Early life and education\n\nKayatta was born in 1953 in [Pawtucket, Rhode Island](https://www.edgepedia.org/pawtucket-rhode-island).<sup>[4](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394121)</sup> He received his undergraduate degree from [Amherst College](https://www.edgepedia.org/amherst-college) in 1976 and his law degree from [Harvard Law School](https://www.edgepedia.org/harvard-law-school) in 1979.<sup>[1](https://www.ca1.uscourts.gov/william-j-kayatta-jr)</sup>\n\n## Legal career\n\nAfter law school, Kayatta served as a law clerk to Judge Frank M. Coffin of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit from 1979 to 1980.<sup>[1](https://www.ca1.uscourts.gov/william-j-kayatta-jr)</sup> From 1980 to 2013, he worked in private practice in [Portland, Maine](https://www.edgepedia.org/portland-maine).<sup>[1](https://www.ca1.uscourts.gov/william-j-kayatta-jr)</sup> He was a partner at the firm Pierce Atwood, during which time he argued two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.<sup>[5](https://www.pressherald.com/2023/11/17/federal-appeals-judge-and-former-portland-lawyer-stepping-down/)</sup> He also served as president of the Maine Bar Association and held leadership roles with the Maine Professional Ethics Commission and the Maine Board of Bar Examiners.<sup>[5](https://www.pressherald.com/2023/11/17/federal-appeals-judge-and-former-portland-lawyer-stepping-down/)</sup>\n\n## Federal judicial service\n\nObama first nominated Kayatta to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit on January 23, 2012, but no Senate vote was held on that nomination.<sup>[4](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394121)</sup> Obama renominated him on January 4, 2013.<sup>[4](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394121)</sup> The Senate confirmed him on February 13, 2013, by a vote of 88 to 12.<sup>[3](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130020)</sup> He received his commission on February 14, 2013.<sup>[4](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394121)</sup>\n\nIn November 2023, Kayatta informed President Joe Biden that he intended to take senior status, a form of semi-retirement afforded to federal judges, creating a vacancy on the court. Kayatta's successor, Joshua D. Dunlap, was confirmed by the Senate on November 4, 2025, filling the First Circuit seat vacated by Kayatta.<sup>[2](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/biden-gets-new-vacancy-on-first-circuit-with-kayatta-retiring)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[6](https://masslawyersweekly.com/2023/11/20/1st-circuit-judge-kayatta-to-take-senior-status/)</sup> He assumed senior status on October 31, 2024.<sup>[1](https://www.ca1.uscourts.gov/william-j-kayatta-jr)</sup>\n\n## References\n\n1. [William J. Kayatta, Jr. | First Circuit](https://www.ca1.uscourts.gov/william-j-kayatta-jr)\n2. [news page](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/biden-gets-new-vacancy-on-first-circuit-with-kayatta-retiring)\n3. [Roll Call RS1130020](https://voteview.com/rollcall/RS1130020)\n4. [Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges](https://www.fjc.gov/node/1394121)\n5. [Federal appeals judge and former Portland lawyer stepping down](https://www.pressherald.com/2023/11/17/federal-appeals-judge-and-former-portland-lawyer-stepping-down/)\n6. [1st Circuit Judge Kayatta to take senior status](https://masslawyersweekly.com/2023/11/20/1st-circuit-judge-kayatta-to-take-senior-status/)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Law and justice › Courts and legal practice › Legal biographies › United States judges › US federal judges › Article III judges (district and appellate) › United States courts of appeals judges › Surnames K to N*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 29, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n",
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 "speakable": "William J. Kayatta, Jr. is an American jurist on the First Circuit Court of Appeals, appointed by Obama in 2013 and taking senior status in 2024."
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