President Bush has nominated three men to replace U.S. District Court judges in North Carolina who are retiring, including the son of one of the outgoing judges.

The White House said Friday that Bush has nominated William Lindsay Osteen Jr. of Greensboro to be U.S. District judge for the Middle District of North Carolina, replacing his father, William L. Osteen Sr.

Osteen Jr. has practiced civil and criminal law in Greensboro for almost 20 years.

The other nominees are Martin Karl Reidinger of Asheville, replacing Graham C. Mullen in the state's Western District, and Thomas D. Schroeder of Winston-Salem, replacing Frank W. Bullock in the Middle District.

Reidinger has practiced civil law in western North Carolina for more than 20 years, while Schroeder is a partner at Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge, and Rice, said U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C.

"These nominees have strong credentials and would administer justice within the strict interpretation of the law and the Constitution," Burr said.

Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., said she also supported the nominees and would work to move the three through the Senate nomination process.