Legal Group Proposes Term Limits for U.S. Supreme Court Justices
Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court should be encouraged to step down after 18 years of service, suggests a group of prominent law professors and judges.
While they have lifetime appointments and thus can’t be forced to retire, the justices should be encouraged by federal lawmakers via an attractive retirement package, the group suggests in a letter to congressional leaders, reports the Washington Post.
It also suggests a seven-year term limit for serving as the court’s chief justice, as well as removing the power to determine which cases to hear on appeal to a special “Certiorari Division” made up of senior justices who have already put in their 18 years and appellate judges.
The bipartisan advisory group was organized by law professor Paul Carrington of Duke University. He and 33 others from what the newspaper describes as “different stations on the political spectrum” sent letters outlining their suggestions—along with draft statutory language—to leaders of the House and Senate judiciary committees, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. and Vice President Joe Biden.
Earlier coverage
ABAJournal.com: “Supreme Court 2.0”
National Law Journal: “Law Profs, Former Judges, Attorneys Urge Major Reforms for Supreme Court”
