How long is a Supreme Court justice term?
Asked by: Elsie Franecki | Last update: December 28, 2025Score: 4.5/5 (36 votes)
The Constitution provides life tenure to federal judges (today, judges of the Supreme Court, courts of appeals, and district and international trade courts).
How long is the typical term for a Supreme Court justice?
How long is the term of a Supreme Court Justice? The Constitution states that Justices "shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour." This means that the Justices hold office as long as they choose and can only be removed from office by impeachment. Has a Justice ever been impeached?
Do Supreme Court justices serve 12 year terms?
When California Supreme Court or Court of Appeal justices choose not to seek reelection near the end of their 12-year terms, the Governor nominates individuals to appear on the ballot to replace them pending voter approval.
Why do Supreme justices serve for life?
Members of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President subject to the approval of the Senate. To ensure an independent Judiciary and to protect judges from partisan pressures, the Constitution provides that judges serve during “good Behaviour,” which has generally meant life terms.
What is the average tenure of a Supreme Court justice?
The average term length of U.S. Supreme Court justices is by far the longest among established constitutional democracies. With no limits on tenure, the average Supreme Court term since 1993 has reached 28 years — over twice as long as most peer countries — making the United States a notable global outlier.
SCOTUS Justices: How Long Do They Serve on the Supreme Court?
Do Supreme Court justices serve for 9 years?
Like all Federal judges, Supreme Court Justices serve lifetime appointments on the Court, in accordance with Article III of the United States Constitution.
How long has Clarence Thomas served?
Clarence Thomas (born June 23, 1948) is an American lawyer and jurist who has served since 1991 as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. President George H. W. Bush nominated him to succeed Thurgood Marshall.
Can a Supreme Court Justice be removed by the president?
Article III states that these judges “hold their office during good behavior,” which means they have a lifetime appointment, except under very limited circumstances. Article III judges can be removed from office only through impeachment by the House of Representatives and conviction by the Senate.
What is the rule of four?
On the face of it, the Supreme Court's “Rule of Four” is straightforward. Where the justices have discretion as to whether to hear an appeal, at least four of the Court's members must vote to grant a writ of certiorari, which facilitates a full review on the merits.
Has a justice ever been impeached?
It also states that justices shall hold office only during “good Behavior.” Justice Samuel Chase, a Federalist, was impeached in 1804 and tried in 1805 for his intemperate and partisan behavior on the bench. To this date, he is the only Supreme Court justice Congress ever impeached.
At what age must all justices retire?
Number of States with Age Limits for Supreme Court Justices
Thirty-one states impose mandatory retirement ages ranging from 70 to 90 years. Among states with a mandatory retirement age, the most common age limit is 70.
Who is the boss of a judge?
There is no “boss” as such, besides administrative matters. Salaries are set by statute of the jurisdiction, and are paid by the taxpayers.
Who can overrule a judge?
Most federal court decisions, and some state court rulings, can be challenged. The U.S. courts of appeals usually have the last word. The nation's 94 federal judicial districts are organized into 12 regional circuits, each of which has a court of appeals.
Who is the longest serving Supreme Court justice currently?
Among the current members of the court, Clarence Thomas's tenure of 12,150 days (33 years, 96 days) is the longest, while Ketanji Brown Jackson's 942 days (2 years, 211 days) is the shortest.
How many Supreme Court judges did Trump appoint?
As of January 20, 2025, the United States Senate has confirmed 234 Article III judges nominated by Trump: three associate justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, 54 judges for the United States courts of appeals, 174 judges for the United States district courts, and three judges for the United States Court ...
Do Supreme Court justices get paid after they retire?
(a) Any justice or judge of the United States appointed to hold office during good behavior may retire from the office after attaining the age and meeting the service requirements, whether continuous or otherwise, of subsection (c) and shall, during the remainder of his lifetime, receive an annuity equal to the salary ...
How many hours do Supreme Court judges work?
They generally work much more than 40 hours/week. They each have clerks assigned to them, which is a highly prized job for an attorney. A number of Supreme Court justices had previously served as clerks to justices.
Can the president overturn a Supreme Court decision?
When the Supreme Court rules on a constitutional issue, that judgment is virtually final; its decisions can be altered only by the rarely used procedure of constitutional amendment or by a new ruling of the Court.
Can the president fire the vice president?
The Constitution of the United States gives Congress the authority to remove the vice president of the United States from office in two separate proceedings. The first one takes place in the House of Representatives, which impeaches the vice president by approving articles of impeachment through a simple majority vote.
Who is the only person to have served as US president and a Supreme Court justice?
William Howard Taft is the only person to have served as both President of the United States (1909-1913) and Chief Justice of the United States (1921-1930).
Who is the oldest person on the Supreme Court?
- Justice Thomas, 75.
- Justice Alito, 73.
- Justice Sotomayor, 69.
- Chief Justice Roberts, 69.
- Justice Kagan, 63.
- Justice Kavanaugh, 58.
- Justice Gorsuch, 56.
- Justice Jackson, 53.
How conservative is Clarence Thomas?
Thomas has earned a reputation as a deeply conservative Justice. He has generally opposed constitutional protections for abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, and affirmative action programs, while endorsing the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment.
Which president has appointed the most Supreme Court justices?
George Washington holds the record for most Supreme Court nominations, with 14 nominations (12 of which were confirmed).