Pauline Newman, 98, has lost her latest bid to return to active service on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, after the Judicial Conference Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability upheld the continued suspension barring her from hearing new cases. The decision affirms the Federal Circuit’s renewal of a disciplinary measure that has kept Newman off the bench for nearly three years.
Newman has argued the suspension amounts to an unconstitutional removal from office, a power reserved to Congress through impeachment. The underlying proceedings stem from concerns about her fitness to serve and her refusal to comply with requests for medical evaluations and records.
The committee rejected her challenge, finding the suspension consistent with the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act and not a violation of due process. Newman has pursued multiple legal challenges and petitioned the Supreme Court, leaving broader questions about judicial independence and internal disciplinary authority unresolved.