U.S. District Judge Harry "Sandy" Mattice has announced he will step down from his role March 10, 2020.
In a statement Tuesday he said he notified President Donald Trump of his intentions.
"It has been a great privilege to have had the opportunity to serve the people of the Eastern District of Tennessee over the past 20 years, first as U.S. Attorney and later as District Judge. I will always be grateful to those who gave me that first opportunity," he said.
Mattice was appointed to the position in 2005 by then President George W. Bush. Before that, he served for four years as the U.S. attorney for the eastern District of Tennessee, during which time he was responsible for prosecuting federal cases in 41 counties.
Before becoming U.S. attorney, Mattice was a shareholder with Baker, Donelson, Bearman & Caldwell in Chattanooga and was a partner at Miller & Martin.
In 1997, Sen. Fred Thompson requested that Mattice serve as senior counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs' Special Investigation.
He did not say why he is resigning.
U.S. District Judge Harry S. Mattice, Jr