I think the court should be expanded to 15 to allow for two more than the number of circuits. Term limits, as well, should be added. No one should have a job for life, especially in a situation in which clear thinking and judgement are required.
The present court needs to be cleaned out. It would be so refreshing to see a picture of the court without the vacant faces of Kennedy and Roberts, and the permanent, hateful scowl of Thomas.
The idea of a code of ethics is a solution that is not necessary IF laws are obeyed and if broken immediately result in suspension of participation until investigation complete. If found guilty of breaking a law there should be immediate removal from the court with forfeiture of salary and all benefits, plus paying of restitution, as well as at least a year in jail, regardless of age. Judges need something definite and absolute to look forward to. They are pampered while in office/power so it is only fitting that if they are necessarily removed for illegal actions that pampering should be replaced with physical punishment, not simply fines and being sent to their cushy homes.
In 1789 the average lifespan for a male was ~40 years. Or if you initially lived to your 20s you could live to your 60s. The lifetime tenure meant something completely different when it was passed.
IMO, more or less judges on the court isn’t really going to matter. Two ways to do this better.
1.) Stop using the executive branch to nominate candidates. Have the Justices be elected by either a federal wide vote or have the circuit court judges elect them.
2.) Minimum experience requirements in the circuit and a 12 year term limit.
The original intent behind appointing justices to the Supreme Court was noble, but today’s culture does not serve the country as a whole. Time and again, we see political influence guide their decisions. Lifelong terms are not logical. We need to turn the tide occasionally to refresh the institution.
There need to be more reforms than term limits, probably requiring a Constitutional Amendment. We need to remove as much of the whiplash politics out of Supreme Court as possible. Corruption issues have not been addressed by the Supreme Court regarding favors and money from outside sources regarding their own members. Liberal Justice Kagan made excuses about this, excuses! Amazing! Neither political party and President in Power, should be able to decide on who sits or does not sit on the court. Other lower court justices, attorneys, and citizens might form a professional non partisan group to decide.
If we expand the Supreme Court a single administration could appoint an even larger majority. Term limits are more important. Also, somebody must have the authority to police the judges, other than themselves. If they break laws or violate ethics, they must be removed.
At least as many justices as the circuits for many reasons. 13 or 15. A binding code of ethics. In terms of the US Constitution, it must be remembered that the Congress is prime over the executive and judicial branches.. Term limits for justices even more so as they are appointed, not elected
Whether its 9 justices, 13, or 113 justices will never matter if they don't have good and enforceable ethics guidelines. Egregious violations of the ethics standards should be retroactively enforced under then-current law. Practically speaking, we should make the incrementally better changes that we can. SCOTUS can't be above the law any more than the President should be.
In addition to reasonable term limits, SCOTUS should be bound by an Enforceable Code of Conduct just like all other federal judges. Code of conduct leading to impeachment, removal from the bench and prosecution for any crime to include unethical behavior, financial conflicts , and unscrupulous extra-judicial activities.
I think the court should be expanded to 15 to allow for two more than the number of circuits. Term limits, as well, should be added. No one should have a job for life, especially in a situation in which clear thinking and judgement are required.
The present court needs to be cleaned out. It would be so refreshing to see a picture of the court without the vacant faces of Kennedy and Roberts, and the permanent, hateful scowl of Thomas.
The idea of a code of ethics is a solution that is not necessary IF laws are obeyed and if broken immediately result in suspension of participation until investigation complete. If found guilty of breaking a law there should be immediate removal from the court with forfeiture of salary and all benefits, plus paying of restitution, as well as at least a year in jail, regardless of age. Judges need something definite and absolute to look forward to. They are pampered while in office/power so it is only fitting that if they are necessarily removed for illegal actions that pampering should be replaced with physical punishment, not simply fines and being sent to their cushy homes.
Term limits for all including Congress. No one should serve for life.
In 1789 the average lifespan for a male was ~40 years. Or if you initially lived to your 20s you could live to your 60s. The lifetime tenure meant something completely different when it was passed.
IMO, more or less judges on the court isn’t really going to matter. Two ways to do this better.
1.) Stop using the executive branch to nominate candidates. Have the Justices be elected by either a federal wide vote or have the circuit court judges elect them.
2.) Minimum experience requirements in the circuit and a 12 year term limit.
The original intent behind appointing justices to the Supreme Court was noble, but today’s culture does not serve the country as a whole. Time and again, we see political influence guide their decisions. Lifelong terms are not logical. We need to turn the tide occasionally to refresh the institution.
There need to be more reforms than term limits, probably requiring a Constitutional Amendment. We need to remove as much of the whiplash politics out of Supreme Court as possible. Corruption issues have not been addressed by the Supreme Court regarding favors and money from outside sources regarding their own members. Liberal Justice Kagan made excuses about this, excuses! Amazing! Neither political party and President in Power, should be able to decide on who sits or does not sit on the court. Other lower court justices, attorneys, and citizens might form a professional non partisan group to decide.
If we expand the Supreme Court a single administration could appoint an even larger majority. Term limits are more important. Also, somebody must have the authority to police the judges, other than themselves. If they break laws or violate ethics, they must be removed.
The supreme court needs a code of ethics passed that they have to abide by and if not they can be removed from office at once
At least as many justices as the circuits for many reasons. 13 or 15. A binding code of ethics. In terms of the US Constitution, it must be remembered that the Congress is prime over the executive and judicial branches.. Term limits for justices even more so as they are appointed, not elected
Whether its 9 justices, 13, or 113 justices will never matter if they don't have good and enforceable ethics guidelines. Egregious violations of the ethics standards should be retroactively enforced under then-current law. Practically speaking, we should make the incrementally better changes that we can. SCOTUS can't be above the law any more than the President should be.
In addition to reasonable term limits, SCOTUS should be bound by an Enforceable Code of Conduct just like all other federal judges. Code of conduct leading to impeachment, removal from the bench and prosecution for any crime to include unethical behavior, financial conflicts , and unscrupulous extra-judicial activities.