Has any judge ever been impeached?
Asked by: Asia Carroll V | Last update: February 19, 2026Score: 4.7/5 (12 votes)
Yes, federal judges have been impeached by the House of Representatives, though few have been removed by the Senate; in U.S. history, 15 federal judges have been impeached, with 8 convicted and removed, starting with Judge John Pickering in 1803 and most recently Judge Thomas Porteous in 2010, while a Supreme Court Justice (Samuel Chase) was also impeached but acquitted.
Has there ever been a judge removed by impeachment?
Harry E. Claiborne, U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. Impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives, July 22, 1986, on charges of income tax evasion and of remaining on the bench following criminal conviction; Convicted by the U.S. Senate and removed from office, October 9, 1986.
Who are the judges who got impeached?
Soumitra Sen, former judge of the Calcutta High Court, who became the first judge to be impeached by the Rajya Sabha. P. D. Dinakaran, former Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court, against whom Parliament initiated removal proceedings.
When was the last Supreme Court judge impeached?
In 1804, Chase was impeached by the House of Representatives on grounds of letting his partisan leanings affect his court decisions, but was acquitted the following year by the Senate and remained in office. He is the only United States Supreme Court Justice to have ever been impeached.
Can the US president remove a Supreme Court judge?
No, a President cannot remove a Supreme Court Justice; only Congress has the power to do so through the impeachment process (House impeaches, Senate convicts) for "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors," ensuring judicial independence and lifetime tenure ("good behavior") for Article III judges.
BREAKING: Federal Judge Just Triggered Impeachment Proceedings Against Trump - National Guard Deploy
Who is the only US president to be impeached twice?
Donald Trump is the only U.S. President to have been impeached twice, first in 2019 for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, and again in 2021 for incitement of insurrection following the January 6 Capitol attack, though he was acquitted in both Senate trials.
Are judges removed from office if they are impeached?
Article III judges can be removed from office only through impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction by the Senate. Find brief biographies of all Article III judges since the nation's founding.
Can a president overturn a Supreme Court ruling?
No, the President cannot directly overturn a Supreme Court decision; only the Court itself (through a new ruling), the Constitution (via amendment), or new legislation by Congress can overturn a major ruling, though Presidents can try to influence future decisions by appointing new justices or challenge rulings through appeals, and historically, some have selectively enforced or ignored certain rulings, as seen with Lincoln and the Dred Scott case.
Has anyone been removed from office after impeachment?
The House has initiated impeachment proceedings more than 60 times. But there have been only 21 impeachments. This includes three presidents, one cabinet secretary, and one senator. Of those who were impeached, only eight officials were found guilty by the Senate and removed from office.
Can a president pardon an impeached judge?
The president may not grant a pardon in the impeachment case, but may in any resulting federal criminal case (unless it is the president who is convicted and thus loses the pardon power). However, whether the president can self-pardon for criminal offenses is an open question, which has never been reviewed by a court.
Who can remove the judge from the Supreme Court?
Only the U.S. Congress, through the impeachment process, can remove a U.S. Supreme Court Justice, requiring the House of Representatives to impeach (majority vote) and the Senate to convict (two-thirds vote) for "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors," granting them lifetime appointments ("good behavior").
Can you become a judge without being a lawyer?
Yes, you can be a judge without a law degree, especially in lower courts (like traffic, small claims, or municipal courts) in many U.S. states where non-lawyer judges handle less complex cases after minimal training, and even federal judges aren't constitutionally required to have one, though most do; however, higher courts generally require extensive legal experience or a JD. Requirements vary significantly by jurisdiction, with some states allowing non-lawyers for specific roles like Justice of the Peace or Magistrate, while higher courts almost always demand a law degree.
Can a federal judge overrule the president?
The Court's decision in Marbury v. Madison (1803) implied, and later cases confirmed, that federal courts also possess authority to review the actions of the executive branch.
Who is the only person to have served as U.S. president and a Supreme Court justice?
William Howard Taft is the only person to serve as both U.S. president and Supreme Court Chief Justice during his career.
Has any federal judge ever been convicted?
Yes, federal judges have been convicted of crimes, leading to impeachment and removal from office, though it's rare, with only 8 of 15 impeached judges being convicted by the Senate in U.S. history; examples include Judge Harry Claiborne (tax evasion) and Judge G. Thomas Porteous (bribery). Some judges resign or retire after conviction, while others face impeachment for criminal acts, demonstrating that criminal conviction can occur before or alongside the constitutional removal process.
Can a US president fire a Supreme Court judge?
No, a U.S. President cannot fire a Supreme Court Justice; they serve for life ("during good behavior") and can only be removed through the impeachment process by Congress (House impeaches, Senate convicts) for serious misconduct, ensuring judicial independence from political pressure.
Has any president ignored a Supreme Court ruling?
Yes, presidents have ignored or defied Supreme Court rulings, most famously Andrew Jackson with the Cherokee Nation (Trail of Tears) and Abraham Lincoln by suspending habeas corpus, but this is rare and often leads to constitutional crises, with recent instances involving defiance in deportation cases under the Trump administration. Other examples include governors defying rulings on segregation (Faubus, Barnett) and FDR's stance on military tribunals, highlighting ongoing tensions between executive power and judicial authority.
What is the President not allowed to do?
A PRESIDENT CANNOT . . .
declare war. decide how federal money will be spent. interpret laws. choose Cabinet members or Supreme Court Justices without Senate approval.
Who can overrule the Supreme Court in the USA?
A Supreme Court decision can be overturned by another Supreme Court ruling (a new case), a Constitutional Amendment, or if the ruling interpreted a federal statute, by Congress passing a new law. While the President can't overturn a decision directly, they influence future courts through appointments, and Congress can pass legislation to clarify or change laws interpreted by the Court.
Who can impeach Donald Trump?
Impeachment begins in the House of Representatives, where articles of impeachment are drawn up. These articles are then voted on by House members. Each article is voted on separately and requires a simple majority to pass. Once an article has been passed in the House, the president has been impeached.
Who cannot be removed from office by impeachment?
All other public officer and employees may be removed from office as provided by law, but not by impeachment.
Which president got impeached for lying?
Res. 611, Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives on December 19, 1998, on grounds of perjury to a grand jury (first article, 228–206) and obstruction of justice (third article, 221–212).
How many impeachments does Donald Trump have?
Trump had been impeached for the second time by the House of Representatives on January 13, 2021. The House adopted one article of impeachment against Trump: incitement of insurrection. He is the only U.S. president and only federal official to be impeached twice.
What was Trump's first impeachment for?
After an inquiry between September and November 2019, Trump was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives on December 18, 2019; the articles of impeachment charged him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.