Should there be term limits/Mandatory retirement age for Supreme Court Justices?

[Very_Boring_Name]

[atreides1]

1. Not just SCOTUS

But all Federal Judges.

[Lebam in LA]

2. +1

I agree

[sabbat hunter]

8. Why

Was John Paul Stevens a bad justice just because he was 90 when he retired?

[Autumn]

3. Oh hell yes. n/t

[FiveGoodMen]

4. You're just as likely to force out someone good as someone bad with that policy

[onehandle]

5. They should need to be renominated every ten years.

Give congress a chance to flush a bad one once in a while.

[sabbat hunter]

10. That would require

a constitutional amendment.

[Goblinmonger]

14. That goes completely against what they were designed to be.

They were to be the constant to a very volitile House, a much more stable Senate, and a moderately changing Presidency. There was not supposed to be a lot of turnover in the SCOTUS and they weren't supposed to feel like they were auditioning for their jobs with every ruling which would be the case if they were elected or up for "renomination" on a cycle.

[demosincebirth]

6. Only if a democrat is President.

[Curmudgeoness]

7. I didn't vote, since I am not sure what is meant by term limits.

If it means that they will have to be reassessed occassionally, I think that will cause pressure from outside forces on how they rule, and that is not a good thing. It is the same reason there is tenure for university professors---so they can be more independent and free-thinking.

I do agree with mandatory retirement ages since I am not confident that the justices would deal with one of their own who is really not functional anymore. But that would also take the ability of justices to wait for a time that is advantageous to their ideals for a replacement.

Not an easy question.

[leveymg]

9. Don't tell that to Justices Douglas, Brennan or Thurgood Marshall.

They all hung in there until way after their expiration dates. Thank g-d.

No. This works both ways.

[tammywammy]

11. No n/t

[Toon Me Out]

12. hey--howzabout tying it to:

TAX FRAUD? :woohoo:

[Skink]

13. I think they should be impeached every once in awhile.

[Seeking Serenity]

15. Yes

but applicable only to judges DU doesn't like.

:sarcasm:

[cynatnite]

16. Nope...

Removal should be an option when they involve themselves in political activities after they've been put on the bench. They should be apolitical while on the bench. Period.

That and committing crimes are when they should be removed. That's it.

[usregimechange]

17. Only if Obama gets a 2nd term