April 14 (Reuters) - A federal appeals judge in Washington, D.C. is under investigation by her own court for allegedly failing to carry out her duties and refusing to respond to other judges' concerns, court officials at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said on Friday. The Federal Circuit acknowledged the probe in a Friday statement. It said court officials "all recognize and admire the lifelong contributions of the justly esteemed Judge Newman," and "are committed to fulfilling their difficult obligations in this process." Federal judges serve lifetime appointments in the United States. The average age of federal appeals court judges was about 65 in 2017, according to a report from the Congressional Research Service.

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