PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Judge Bruce Selya, who has served for 20 years on the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, said he plans to assume senior status and take on a reduced workload.

Selya, 71, is the lone Rhode Islander on the Boston-based federal appeals court.

“This has been a terrific ride for me, and I’ve been extremely privileged,” Selya told The Providence Journal. “I’m not getting off the ride. I’m just moving from the fast track to a more leisurely pace.”

Senior status allows Selya to generally set his own schedule and control the amount of work he gets. Senior judges can keep their offices and staffs if they continue to handle at least a quarter of a full caseload. Selya said he plans to carry three-quarters of a full caseload.

The 1st Circuit hears appeals from Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Puerto Rico. It has six active judges, including Kermit V. Lipez of Portland, and, currently, four senior judges, including Conrad K. Cyr of Bangor and Frank M. Coffin of Portland. Selya said a federal statute mandates, to the extent possible, that each state be represented on the court.

Selya, whose eyesight is deteriorating, said he wants to spend more time with his family and is committed to teaching a class at the Roger Williams University law school in Bristol.

He said he also will remain on a secretive federal court that hears appeals involving wiretaps of suspected spies and terrorists.

Selya sent a letter to President Bush on Monday, saying he intended to assume senior status at the end of the year or upon the appointment of a successor – whichever comes first. He became eligible for senior status about six years ago.