Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Appeal of 98-Year-Old Judge

The Supreme Court declined on Monday, June 15, 2026, to hear an appeal from Judge Pauline Newman, effectively leaving the 98-year-old federal judge suspended from her duties. Newman, the oldest active federal judge in the nation, has been barred from hearing new cases since early 2023 by her colleagues on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit over concerns about her mental fitness and ability to manage her workload.

Newman, appointed by President Ronald Reagan, has served on the Federal Circuit since its creation in 1984. The court specializes in areas like patents, government contracts, and international trade. Throughout her career, she became known as the "Great Dissenter" for authoring hundreds of dissenting opinions, particularly on patent law.

Her suspension followed an investigation initiated by the court's chief judge, Kimberly Moore. According to filings, Moore cited health incidents in 2021 and a fainting episode in 2022, along with concerns from court staff about Newman's delays in handling cases. A special committee ordered Newman to undergo neurological and neuropsychological testing and to provide medical records. Newman declined to comply with the...