The Case for Supreme Court Term Limits

OCTOBER 25, 2023

A paper by the U.S. Supreme Court Working Group

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American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Table of Contents

Background

Note on Terminology
The Working Group
Problematic Features of Life Tenure with Uniform Job Duties
Public Views of the Court
Prior Scholarship on Term Limits
Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States

Outline of the Proposal

Enactment Method
Basic Mechanics: Term Length
Role of Senior Justices
Transition to Term Limits
Dealing with Unexpected Vacancies
Selection of Chief Justice
Reducing the Chance of a Senate Impasse