District Judge
A district judge is a federal trial-court judge who serves on one of the 94 U.S. district courts. District judges are Article III judges: nominated by the President, confirmed by the Senate, and holding office "during good Behavior" — effectively for life — with salaries that cannot be reduced. They are the only federal judges before whom jury trials are normally held; they preside over both criminal and civil cases, make findings of fact and law, and issue the judgments and sentences from which appeals run to the courts of appeals.
A district judge is a federal trial-court judge who serves on one of the 94 U.S. district courts. District judges are Article III judges: nominated by the President, confirmed by the Senate, and holding office “during good Behavior” — effectively for life — with salaries that cannot be reduced. They are the only federal judges before whom jury trials are normally held; they preside over both criminal and civil cases, make findings of fact and law, and issue the judgments and sentences from which appeals run to the courts of appeals.
Example: Per the federal courts’ own FAQ on federal judgeships, Article III district judges are appointed for life under Article III, so a vacant judgeship is filled by a new presidential nomination and Senate confirmation rather than by re-election.
Common misconception: Federal district judges are not elected — anywhere. Unlike many state-court judges who face voters, federal district judges reach the bench only through presidential nomination and Senate confirmation.
Sources: Types of Federal Judges, United States Courts; FAQs about Federal Judges, United States Courts