Should term limits apply to Supreme Court justices?
As you may know, the U.S. Constitution calls for the creation of a supreme court with a lifetime appointment for all senate-approved justices. Of course, that was in a time when a person’s lifetime was a bit less than today and the state of medicine far from today’s standards. A recent example includes Justice John Paul Stevens who retired from the Court in 2010 after serving for 35 years.
A recent movement is underway calling for justices to pledge that they will resign after serving 18 years on the Court. Some feel that it’s in the best interests of diversity and would depoliticize the nomination process. Some recent nominees have undergone excruciating hearings in the Senate while others have sailed through with nary a debate or contentious issue raised.
What do you think? Should our Supreme Court justices enjoy a lifetime appointment or be limited to a set number of years on the bench? Take a look at the “Come to Terms” initiative being considered at Fix the Court’s website.
Photo by dbking (Flickr)
