What does it take to have a federal judge yanked off a criminal case? The Seventh Circuit will tell us soon. Ameet Sachdev and Ray Gibson report for the ChiTrib:

In an extraordinary maneuver, the federal appeals court in Chicago removed a judge from an ongoing criminal trial that has been marred by disagreements between the prosecutors and the judge.

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals provided no explanation in its Tuesday order dismissing U.S. District Judge James Holderman from the jury trial of a man facing drug charges. The court said an opinion would be forthcoming.

The panel is Judges Posner, Rovner, and Sykes. No dissent is indicated. The defendant has petitioned for rehearing and rehearing en banc.