Suspended for 3 Years Without Due Process: Judge Pauline Newman's Fight for Judicial Independence

For more than three years, Judge Pauline Newman has been prevented from hearing cases on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. In this special episode of Courtside, NCLA President Mark Chenoweth sits down with Judge Newman to discuss her case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court, the constitutional principles at stake, and why she believes the issues extend far beyond her own circumstances. Judge Newman reflects on her remarkable career, the role of judicial dissents, the importance of judicial independence, and the due process concerns raised by a system that can sideline a federal judge without meaningful judicial review. The Supreme Court is currently considering whether to hear Newman v. Moore, a case that asks whether actions taken by a judicial council can be reviewed by an Article III court. Topics include: • Judicial independence • Due process protections • The role of dissenting opinions • The Judicial Conduct and Disability Act • Constitutional separation of powers • The future of judicial accountability Learn more about NCLA's work: https://www.nclalegal.org Subscribe for more interviews, legal analysis, and constitutional commentary from the New Civil Liberties Alliance. 00:00 Introduction 00:23 From Scientist to Federal Judge 01:12 A Career of Public Service 01:49 Life After Three Years Off the Bench 03:06 Why Judicial Dissents Matter 06:46 Was Creating the Federal Circuit a Mistake? 09:13 Textualism, Originalism, and Judging 10:41 Can a 98-Year-Old Judge Still Serve? 12:38 "Prove You're Innocent" 13:52 Has Anyone Found Evidence of Incompetence? 14:28 Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Law 15:34 Does Judge Newman Take Too Long to Write Opinions? 16:43 Giving Every Litigant a Full Hearing 17:46 The Hardest Part of the Ordeal 20:15 Can Artificial Intelligence Replace Judges? 21:34 Why Was Another Judge Treated Differently? 24:03 Legacy, Patents, and Public Service 25:01 Due Process and Deciding Your Own Case 26:10 Why This Case Is Bigger Than One Judge 26:51 Judicial Independence and Due Process 30:04 Administrative vs. Judicial Authority 32:45 Dissenting From Colleagues 33:54 Why Judicial Independence Matters 34:49 Separation of Powers and Judicial Removal 35:44 Impeachment and the Constitution 38:03 Suspended Year After Year 38:34 The Due Process Problem 40:33 Removed Before Any Adjudication? 41:04 Why Impeachment Is the Constitutional Process 42:20 The Danger of Judges Sidelining Judges 43:32 What Happens if SCOTUS Doesn't Take the Case? 44:46 What Is the Supreme Court Being Asked to Decide? 45:42 Could This Happen to Other Judges? 47:19 Did She Ever Fear Her Fellow Judges? 49:31 Why Not Just Retire? 50:25 Does She Still Believe in American Justice? 50:58 A Message for Americans 51:54 What She Wants the Supreme Court to Understand 52:51 Closing Remarks #JudgePaulineNewman #SupremeCourt #JudicialIndependence #DueProcess #Constitution