President Bush has named assistant attorney general and former appeals court judge Michael Chertoff as Ridge's successor, subject to Senate confirmation.
The government has asked the appeals court to overturn that ruling, saying interruption of his interrogation would undermine the war on terrorism.
However, just one year later, a federal appeals court ruled that prayers led by students should be allowed at graduation ceremonies, and justices refused to review the case.
This decision of the federal appeals court directly conflicts with the decision of another federal appeals court that decided student-led prayers should be banned.
He has a brother and two sisters, one of whom is a federal appeals court judge.
