Which Supreme Court judge has been impeached?
Asked by: Ms. Hulda Predovic DDS | Last update: February 9, 2026Score: 4.4/5 (68 votes)
The only U.S. Supreme Court Justice ever impeached by the House of Representatives was Samuel Chase in 1804, for alleged partisan behavior and intemperate rulings during politically charged trials, but he was acquitted by the Senate in 1805 and remained on the Court until his death, establishing a precedent that impeachment isn't the only path for removal but also a trial for "high crimes and misdemeanors".
How many US Supreme Court justices have been impeached?
The only Justice to be impeached was Associate Justice Samuel Chase in 1805. The House of Representatives passed Articles of Impeachment against him; however, he was acquitted by the Senate. Who decides how many Justices are on the Court?
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.
What Supreme Court judge has been impeached?
The outcomes helped to solidify norms of an independent judiciary and impeachments requiring more than just a disagreement between an official and the Congress. Chase remains the only United States Supreme Court justice to have been impeached.
Can the U.S. 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.
How Can A Supreme Court Justice Be Impeached? - Stories of the States
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.
Who is the only president to be impeached and convicted?
There has not been a U.S. President impeached and convicted; all presidents impeached by the House—Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump (twice)—were acquitted by the Senate and remained in office. While numerous officials have been removed, no U.S. President has ever been convicted and removed from office through the Senate trial process.
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").
Why was Samuel Chase removed from the Supreme Court?
Samuel Chase was impeached by the House in 1804 for his extreme Federalist partisanship on the bench, including biased jury management and promoting his political agenda during trials, but he was not removed because the Senate acquitted him, setting a precedent for judicial independence and clarifying that political views alone aren't grounds for removal. He remains the only Supreme Court Justice ever impeached, but the Senate's failure to convict upheld the principle that judges should be free from political pressure.
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.
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).
What is the punishment for impeachment?
The Constitution requires a two-thirds vote of the Senate to convict, and the penalty for an impeached official upon conviction is removal from office. In some cases, the Senate has also disqualified such officials from holding public offices in the future.
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 is the only person to have served as US 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.
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.
Can voters remove a Supreme Court judge?
Article II of the California Constitution, approved by California voters in 1911, allows people to recall and remove elected officials and justices of the State Supreme Court from office.
Does the president have control of the Supreme Court?
The president nominates Supreme Court justices, but the Senate has the sole power to confirm those appointments.
Can Supreme Court rulings be appealed?
Once review in the California Supreme Court has been exhausted, it is possible to seek review in federal court by petition for certiorari to the United States Supreme Court filed within 90 days of the denial of petition for review by the California Supreme Court.
Can a president go to jail while in office?
Jump to essay-1Because criminal charges have never been filed against a sitting President, the Supreme Court has never considered a case addressing whether a sitting President could be prosecuted. The executive branch has expressed the view sitting Presidents enjoy absolute immunity from criminal prosecution.
Who was impeached but not removed?
Image courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration The Senate acquitted President Johnson on article 11, 35–19, one vote short of the constitutional threshold for removal.
Who was the only U.S. president to resign from office?
Nixon's second term ended early when he became the only U.S. president to resign from office, as a result of the Watergate scandal.
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.
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.
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.