Denver, CO – Honorable Mary Beck Briscoe, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, announced that she will step down as chief judge effective September 30, 2015. The new chief judge will be Honorable Timothy M. Tymkovich, who was appointed to the court in 2003 and whose chambers are in Denver, Colorado.

Judge Briscoe, who resides in Lawrence, Kansas, and is a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Law, has served as chief judge for the court since 2010. She was appointed to the court in 1995 while she was then serving as the Chief Judge of the Kansas Court of Appeals. Since 2013, she has served on the Executive Committee for the Judicial Conference of the United States (JCUS), the governing body of the Judicial branch. She will remain an active judge of the court upon stepping down as the chief judge.

During her tenure as Chief Judge, the Tenth Circuit was fortunate to have its five vacancies filled and to have successfully weathered the budget sequestration crisis.

When reflecting on her tenure, Judge Briscoe stated “It has been my honor to serve the circuit and to work daily with our very dedicated Denver staff. I am certain Judge Tymkovich will transition smoothly into the position, and hopefully spend less time concerned with budget issues and the ripple effects they have caused circuit-wide.”

The Tenth Circuit, with administrative headquarters in Denver, encompasses the states of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming.