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President Joe Biden recently endorsed Supreme Court reform measures that include establishing term limits for justices. Democratic lawmakers have previously recommended 18-year term limits, arguing this would help restore “judicial independence” to a politicized court. Republican lawmakers argue that Biden’s attempt to overhaul the high court is itself politically motivated.
Watch the video above as Straight Arrow News contributor Adrienne Lawrence argues that while the Constitution mandates lifelong tenure for federal judges, this concept was established when life expectancy was much shorter. Lawrence points to current times, highlighting a recently suspended 97-year-old federal judge who is simply unwilling to step down.
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The following is an excerpt from the above video:
While getting older has many perks, getting wiser is certainly at the top of that list. Unfortunately, not everyone who gets older gets wiser. Federal judges in our nation’s capital fully recognize that that is a reality.
A three-judge committee on the Judicial Council of the U.S. Court of Appeals just re-issued a year-long suspension of a 97-year-old colleague who refuses to retire from the bench and continues to decline mental fitness exams.
Judge Pauline Newman, who was appointed to serve for life by the late Ronald Reagan, would rather be barred from hearing new cases than be interrogated about her ability to serve. Our Constitution authorizes her to hold the job for life, and apparently she plans to serve that full term.
It’s past time — Congress must impose age limits on the federal bench, because as our Founding Fathers knew, Father Time stays undefeated. I fully support the Judicial Council’s decision to sideline Judge Newman. She predates movies with sound. Absent resolving questions of fitness, it’s fair to question the abilities of judges who are older.
And the real question here really should concern why we still allow federal judges to serve for life. There’s simply no reason for it anymore.
