Alex Kozinski, a federal court judge in California, is retiring after multiple women accused him of sexual harassment.
In a statement, Mr. Kozinski said his family and friends had urged him to remain and defend himself, but that doing so would make it difficult to do his job well.
"I cannot be an effective judge and simultaneously fight this battle," he said in the statement. "Nor would such a battle be good for my beloved federal judiciary. And so I am making the decision to retire, effective immediately."
Citing a "broad sense of humor and a candid way of speaking to both male and female law clerks alike," Mr. Kozinski also offered an apology to his accusers.
"It grieves me to learn that I caused any of my clerks to feel uncomfortable; this was never my intent," he said. "For this I sincerely apologize."
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At least 15 women had accused Mr. Kozinski of subjecting them to unwanted sexual comments or physical contact, including kissing, hugging and groping, according to The Washington Post. The allegations spanned decades and included colleagues as well as women who met him at events.
One woman, Emily Murphy, said that she was a 30-year-old clerk for a different judge when Mr. Kozinski suggested to colleagues that she exercise naked.
Mr. Kozinski had served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for 32 years. He was the chief judge of the court from 2007 to 2014. The circuit is the largest federal appeals court in the United States, covering the entire West Coast.
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