A 98-year-old federal appeals judge suspended from hearing new cases has asked the Supreme Court to step into her long-running dispute with colleagues on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
The fight has become a rare test of how the judiciary handles questions about a sitting judge’s fitness and the limits of internal court discipline.
Pauline Newman argues the suspension has effectively pushed aside an Article III judge who holds lifetime tenure, while her colleagues have said the action followed her refusal to comply with medical testing and records requests during a misconduct investigation.
Newman was nominated by President Ronald Reagan on Jan. 30, 1984, confirmed by the Senate on Feb. 27, 1984, and received her commission the next day.
The filing comes after lower courts refused to reopen her challenge, leaving the Supreme Court as her last avenue to restore her caseload.
The conflict began in 2023, when Federal Circuit Chief Judge Kimberly Moore opened misconduct proceedings after concerns about Newman’s behavior and capacity.
Court records released in the matter reviewed by The Hill described employee accounts portraying Newman as
Supreme Court Asked to Hear Appeals Judge Suspension Case
