Are you just speculating or has Thomas spoken about retiring within the next 2 years? He's 70, which isn't exactly young, but unless he has some health problems that I'm not aware of, my guess would be that he could probably count on another decade on the bench.
Are you just speculating or has Thomas spoken about retiring within the next 2 years? He's 70, which isn't exactly young, but unless he has some health problems that I'm not aware of, my guess would be that he could probably count on another decade on the bench.
Thomas has stated on several occasions that he wants to actually enjoy his golden years and doesn't plan to stay on the court so long they have to take him straight to the care home upon retirement. In fact as far back as 2005 there were rumors that he was seriously considering stepping down. However, when the democrats took over the Senate in 2006 and then Obama won in 2008, he decided to stick it out until a Republican was back in office. Which is why it's a bit surprising that he hasn't retired already. Most court observers believe he is trying to wait a year after Kennedy to minimize the disruption to the court. Of course that's a risky strategy because if democrats take over the senate in November, he could be stuck on the court for another decade.
Thomas is now 70 and has been on the Court for 27 years. He likes to travel and speculation is that he would like to retire while he can still enjoy life.
He clearly would only want to be replaced by another conservative textualist. That requires a conservative President and a Republican controlled Senate.
If he retires next summer, then President Trump and a Republican controlled Senate will replace him (assuming that the Republicans hold the Senate this year, which is likely since most of the seats up for re-election are Democrat seats in states that went heavily for Trump).
He does not want to wait until after 2020 and risk a Democrat president being elected. That would put him in the position that Ginsburg and Breyer are in now, stuck 4 or 8 years or longer waiting for another opportunity to retire.
Thomas has expressed his desire to retire to colleagues. He has been an outstanding SCOTUS Justice and deserves to spend his “golden” years as he pleases. His retirement will give us a chance to install someone in his place that could extend up to 30 years his judicial philosophy. Good for him on many levels!
From what I've read, he's interested in retiring. Unlike some on the court, politics isn't his sole motivation for living. He doesn't want to have to work until he's 80+. Personally, I'll miss him on the court, because I think he is the best we currently have there, but he's earned a retirement while he's still able to get around.