After more than three decades shaping the legal landscape from Wisconsin to the federal bench, Chief Judge Diane Sykes is preparing to ease into senior status this October—an elegant exit that opens the first appellate court vacancy under Donald Trump’s second presidential term.
At 67, Sykes has let it be known she’s trading long hours on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for time with her grandchildren. Her decision not only marks the end of her active judicial chapter but also triggers a consequential moment: the power to appoint a new full-time judge to the influential Chicago-based court swings back into Trump’s hands.
Sykes, a George W. Bush appointee once floated as a Supreme Court contender during Trump’s first term, announced her move in a letter to the White House, calling her years of service “a privilege” and promising to remain engaged in a reduced capacity.
The 7th Circuit—which handles appeals from Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin—currently leans 6-5 in favor of Republican-appointed judges. Sykes’ transition preserves that tilt while handing Trump the opportunity to deepen his judicial bench with another loyal conservative voice.
This is Trump’s second shot at shaping the federal appeals courts since returning to the Oval Office. Earlier this month, Judge Sandra Ikuta of the 9th Circuit—a fellow Bush-era appointee—also announced plans to take senior status. Together, these shifts underscore the quiet but powerful churn happening within the appellate courts.
Sykes has left a distinct imprint on American jurisprudence. She backed Wisconsin’s 2012 voter ID law in a 2014 ruling that was briefly paused by the Supreme Court before later being upheld. In 2017, she made waves with a blistering dissent in a landmark case that extended federal workplace protections to LGBTQ employees—criticizing her colleagues for bypassing “the legislative process by which the people govern themselves.”
While the spotlight often stays fixed on the Supreme Court, the appellate courts shape the legal framework for millions. And with several seats already vacant from retirements during the previous administration, the next round of Trump’s judicial picks will quietly but significantly mold the legal future.
The bench is shifting. And the next chapter, once again, belongs to Trump.
