The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal from 98-year-old federal judge Pauline Newman, leaving in place her suspension from judicial duties that was imposed in 2023 during an investigation into her fitness to serve. The decision allows a lower court ruling to stand, rejecting Newman’s challenge to the actions taken by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, where she has served since her appointment by former President Ronald Reagan in 1984.
Newman, a highly respected figure in patent law, has consistently maintained that she remains fit to carry out her judicial responsibilities. Her suspension followed an inquiry by the Federal Circuit after reports from court staff alleged concerns including memory loss, confusion, paranoia, and erratic behavior. The court’s judicial council, led by Chief Judge Kimberly Moore, unanimously voted to suspend Newman after concluding that she had failed to cooperate with the investigation.
In her legal challenge, Newman argued that the suspension violated her constitutional rights, including due process protections, and improperly bypassed Congress’s authority to remove federal judges through impeachment. However, federal courts ruled that the judiciary has the authority to oversee its own conduct and disability proceedings. The Judicial Conference of the United States has also upheld the suspension, which remains in effect following the Supreme Court’s decision not to review the case.
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