U.S. Supreme Court Rejects 98-Year-Old Judge's Bid to Reinstatement The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a petition from 98-year-old Judge Pauline Newman, who sought to overturn her suspension from duties in 2023. The justices ruled Monday that her appeal of a lower court’s decision rejecting her challenge to her suspension would not be considered. Newman, a retired judge with a long career in patent law, had argued that her suspension violated her constitutional rights and sought reinstatement to her position on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Newman’s suspension followed an investigation into her fitness to serve, which began in 2023. A panel of Federal Circuit judges cited staff reports detailing concerns about her cognitive abilities, including memory loss, confusion, paranoia, and episodes of anger. These findings were part of a broader review by the court’s judicial council, led by Chief Judge Kimberly Moore. The council unanimously voted to suspend Newman after determining she refused to cooperate with the investigation. The suspension remains in effect, despite her ongoing legal challenges. Newman, appointed to the Federal Circuit in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan, has maintained that she is fit to serve. She filed a lawsuit against Moore and the judicial council, arguing that the Federal Circuit overstepped its authority by suspending her. A federal judge dismissed her case in 2024, ruling that courts have consistently affirmed the judiciary’s self-policing authority. This decision was upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 2025. The Judicial Conference of the United States, which oversees judicial conduct and disability matters, also confirmed the validity of Newman’s suspension.#u_s_supreme_court #federal_circuit #pauline_newman #kimberly_moore #judicial_conference_of_the_united_states
Supreme Court Declines to Reconsider 98-Year-Old Judge's Suspension Case The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a petition by Judge Pauline Newman, a 98-year-old federal appeals court judge, to resume hearing cases after she was suspended from active service due to concerns about her fitness to serve. Newman, who has been a member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit since 1984, sought reinstatement following a three-year suspension ordered by the circuit’s Judicial Council. The court’s chief judge, Kimberly Moore, had previously warned Newman that her health issues and habitual delays posed a risk to the efficient administration of justice. Newman’s career on the Federal Circuit, established in 1982 to handle appeals in specialized areas such as international trade, patents, trademarks, veterans’ benefits, and government money claims, spanned over four decades. During this time, she authored more than 300 dissenting opinions, earning her the moniker “the Great Dissenter.” However, her tenure faced scrutiny after Moore suspended her in 2021, citing health concerns and delays. The suspension was initially ordered following a complaint that highlighted Newman’s inability to manage her workload, including a fainting episode in 2022 and prior health issues in 2021. Moore and a special committee of two Federal Circuit judges conducted an investigation into Newman’s fitness to continue serving. The panel required Newman to undergo neurological and neuropsychological testing, submit medical records, and participate in an interview. Despite these measures, Newman refused to retire or accept senior status, leading Moore to issue an order identifying a judicial complaint against her.#u_s_supreme_court #new_civil_liberties_alliance #judge_pauline_newman #kimberly_moore #u_s_court_of_appeals_for_the_federal_circuit
