Supreme Court confirmation proceedings
The Founding Fathers wanted the courts to be protected from politics. In what ways was the judiciary designed to limit the role of politics? Are the courts completely immune from politics in their work? Why or why not? What role does politics play in Supreme Court confirmation proceedings? Should there be term limits for federal judges, including Supreme Court justices? Why or why not?
Sample Answer
The Founding Fathers were concerned about the potential for the judiciary to be influenced by politics. They designed the judiciary in a number of ways to limit the role of politics.
- Life tenure: Federal judges, including Supreme Court justices, have life tenure. This means that they can only be removed from office through impeachment, which is a very difficult process.
- Judicial independence: Federal judges are not elected. They are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. This means that they are not directly accountable to the public.
- The separation of powers: The judiciary is one of three branches of government. The other two branches are the executive branch and the legislative branch. The separation of powers means that each branch of government has its own powers and responsibilities. This helps to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.