Oldest Active Federal Judge Seeks Supreme Court to Lift Suspension A 98-year-old federal judge, who holds the distinction of being the oldest active judge in the U.S. judiciary, has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn her suspension from hearing new cases. Judge Pauline Newman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is seeking to have the suspension lifted, arguing that the action violates her constitutional rights and undermines judicial independence. Newman, who will turn 99 in June, was suspended in 2023 by the Federal Circuit’s judicial council after refusing to undergo medical evaluations to assess claims of memory loss and confusion. The suspension effectively barred her from presiding over new cases, a move she contends is akin to an impeachment process reserved for Congress. In her petition, Newman asserts that the suspension threatens the principle of judicial independence and may infringe upon the separation of powers between branches of government. Her legal challenge centers on the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act, which grants judicial councils authority to investigate allegations of disability against federal judges. Newman argues that the act’s provisions are unconstitutional, as they enable councils to act as a form of impeachment without due process. She claims the law violates her right to a fair legal proceeding and undermines the independence of the judiciary. In August 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that it lacked jurisdiction to review the bulk of Newman’s challenge to her suspension. The court’s decision, reported by the ABA Journal, left her petition unresolved, prompting her to seek higher judicial review.#us_supreme_court #judicial_conduct_and_disability_act #judge_pauline_newman #aba_journal #law360
