[justshutupandtakeit]

There was no "headache" involved in quitting the bench. What did I miss?

Nor is it unusual for government employees and officials to quit after a long career the government work and multiple their incomes by a huge amount. Nor anything wrong with it.

[Vision]

There was no "headache" involved in quitting the bench. What did I miss?

Did you read the article?

[ContemptofCourt]

It is extremely unusual for a circuit judge to resign. In the last 20 years, 3 have resigned from the Appellate bench. One of those was Chertoff, who took a position with the DHS. One was Judge Tim Lewis of the 3d Cir., who went nuts.

Going back 200 years to the start of the federal appellate courts, only a handful of circuit court judges have resigned.

In other words, it is not a position that you just resign, even if you get a plum corporate counsel job. And especially if you are only 51 and conceivably will live through 5 more administrations and are an "A" lister for the USSCt.