HATTIESBURG, Miss. (BP) - Charles Pickering, whose nomination was filibustered by Senate Democrats and who was placed on the appeals court by President Bush with a recess appointment, announced his retirement Dec. 9.

Pickering, a federal judge in Mississippi's Southern District for 12 years, is a member of First Baptist Church in Laurel, Miss. He was a member of the Peace Committee established in 1985 to address issues related to the theological controversy in the Southern Baptist Convention at the time.

He also served two years in the mid-1980s as president of the Mississippi Baptist Convention.

Pickering, 67, announced that he would not seek re-nomination for the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which is based in New Orleans and covers the states of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Pickering had enough votes for confirmation in 2003 but not enough votes to overcome the filibuster by Senate Democrats. Needing 60 votes in October 2003 to halt the filibuster, he received only 54.