98-Year-Old Judge Petitions Supreme Court on Suspension

A 98-year-old federal appeals judge has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to lift her nearly three-year suspension from hearing cases, arguing that the action by her colleagues violates constitutional protections for lifetime judicial tenure.

Pauline Newman, the oldest active judge in the federal system, serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, a specialized court handling appeals in areas such as patents and government contracts. Appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1984, Newman has been barred from new cases since early 2023, when the court's judicial council initiated an investigation into her fitness to serve. The probe stemmed from concerns raised by court staff about her mental capacity, including reports of memory issues and confusion. Newman refused to undergo requested neuropsychological evaluations, though she provided results from other recent medical assessments that she says confirm her ability to perform her duties.

The suspension, extended multiple times and most recently in August, has left Newman in a position where she retains her title and salary but cannot participate in the court's work. She has continued to attend oral arguments at...