Leahy: Allow retired justices to sit on SCOTUS

Washington Times - Water Cooler ^ | 9/29/10 | Kerry Picket

[paltz]

Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, Vermont Democrat, has proposed a bill that would allow for retired Supreme Court Justices to sit on the court by designation in cases where the active justice has recused. READ THE BILL

Under the proposed bill, the active justices of the Supreme Court would be permitted to vote to designate a retired Supreme Court justice in a particular case in which one or more Justices have recused themselves and allow the court to preempt potential 4:4 split decisions, in which the decision of a lower court stands.

[onyx]

I'm glad your ping brought me back to this thread because on second, third or fourth thought, I think Leahy might only be the vehicle and that the idea for the legislation originated in the evil, Marxist White House.

Kagan will have to recuse herself from 21 pending SCOTUS cases and consider the "retired" justices: Souter, Stevens, O'Conner.

I sure hope Constitutionalist and former federal judge, Joe Miller wins election in Alaska. Our side is going to need all the fighters and votes against this end around it can muster in the US Senate.

[Sacajaweau]

It's a lifetime job. You stay or you dont' stay.

The reason it was a lifetime job was so that "politics" didn't enter into any decision.

This proposal does away with the intention of it being "lifetime"....