<P> Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court, and preside over any panel on which they serve unless circuit judges are also on the panel . Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges . To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge . A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges . The chief judge serves for a term of seven years or until age 70, whichever occurs first . The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position . </P> <P> When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest - serving judge who had not elected to retire on what has since 1958 been known as senior status or declined to serve as chief judge . After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old . The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982 . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="4"> Seat 1 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="4"> Seat established on February 4, 1819 by 3 Stat. 478 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Tucker </Td> <Td> 1819--1825 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hay </Td> <Td> 1825--1830 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Barbour </Td> <Td> 1830--1836 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Daniel </Td> <Td> 1836--1841 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Mason </Td> <Td> 1841--1844 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Halyburton </Td> <Td> 1844--1861 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Underwood </Td> <Td> 1863--1864 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="4"> Seat reassigned to the District of Virginia on June 11, 1864 by 13 Stat. 124 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="4"> Seat reassigned from the District of Virginia on February 3, 1871 by 16 Stat. 403 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Underwood </Td> <Td> 1871--1873 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hughes </Td> <Td> 1874--1898 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Waddill, Jr . </Td> <Td> 1898--1921 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Groner </Td> <Td> 1921--1931 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Way </Td> <Td> 1931--1943 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hutcheson </Td> <Td> 1944--1959 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Lewis </Td> <Td> 1960--1974 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Warriner </Td> <Td> 1974--1986 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Smith </Td> <Td> 1989--present </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="4"> Seat 2 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="4"> Seat established on August 2, 1935 by 49 Stat. 508 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Pollard </Td> <Td> 1936--1947 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Bryan </Td> <Td> 1947--1961 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Butzner, Jr . </Td> <Td> 1962--1967 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Merhige, Jr . </Td> <Td> 1967--1986 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ellis III </Td> <Td> 1987--2007 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Davis </Td> <Td> 2008--present </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="4"> Seat 3 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="4"> Seat established on February 10, 1954 by 68 Stat. 8 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hoffman </Td> <Td> 1954--1974 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Clarke, Jr . </Td> <Td> 1974--1991 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Payne </Td> <Td> 1992--2007 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Gibney, Jr . </Td> <Td> 2010--present </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="4"> Seat 4 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="4"> Seat established on March 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Kellam </Td> <Td> 1967--1981 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Doumar </Td> <Td> 1981--1996 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Friedman </Td> <Td> 1997--2010 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Allen </Td> <Td> 2011--present </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="4"> Seat 1 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="4"> Seat established on February 4, 1819 by 3 Stat. 478 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Tucker </Td> <Td> 1819--1825 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hay </Td> <Td> 1825--1830 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Barbour </Td> <Td> 1830--1836 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Daniel </Td> <Td> 1836--1841 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Mason </Td> <Td> 1841--1844 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Halyburton </Td> <Td> 1844--1861 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Underwood </Td> <Td> 1863--1864 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="4"> Seat reassigned to the District of Virginia on June 11, 1864 by 13 Stat. 124 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="4"> Seat reassigned from the District of Virginia on February 3, 1871 by 16 Stat. 403 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Underwood </Td> <Td> 1871--1873 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hughes </Td> <Td> 1874--1898 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Waddill, Jr . </Td> <Td> 1898--1921 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Groner </Td> <Td> 1921--1931 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Way </Td> <Td> 1931--1943 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hutcheson </Td> <Td> 1944--1959 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Lewis </Td> <Td> 1960--1974 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Warriner </Td> <Td> 1974--1986 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Smith </Td> <Td> 1989--present </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="4"> Seat 2 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="4"> Seat established on August 2, 1935 by 49 Stat. 508 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Pollard </Td> <Td> 1936--1947 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Bryan </Td> <Td> 1947--1961 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Butzner, Jr . </Td> <Td> 1962--1967 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Merhige, Jr . </Td> <Td> 1967--1986 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ellis III </Td> <Td> 1987--2007 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Davis </Td> <Td> 2008--present </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="4"> Seat 3 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="4"> Seat established on February 10, 1954 by 68 Stat. 8 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Hoffman </Td> <Td> 1954--1974 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Clarke, Jr . </Td> <Td> 1974--1991 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Payne </Td> <Td> 1992--2007 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Gibney, Jr . </Td> <Td> 2010--present </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="4"> Seat 4 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="4"> Seat established on March 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Kellam </Td> <Td> 1967--1981 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Doumar </Td> <Td> 1981--1996 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Friedman </Td> <Td> 1997--2010 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Allen </Td> <Td> 2011--present </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr>

United states district court for the eastern district of virginia alexandria division