What happens if a Justice gets Alzheimers but won't resign?

[usregimechange]

Lets say the person is unable to perform his duty and everyone knows it. Would the Senate remove him/her?

[smoogatz]

1. You mean, like Thomas and Scalia?

They can be impeached.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. if their incapacity to perform their duties could be proved

of course, in this political climate, that won't happen. If the justice is liberal, he or she will be thrown out without another thought. If it is a conservative justice, they will stay, no matter what.

[NYC Liberal]

3. WOULD the (Republican) Senate? Depends how the justice starts voting...

[longship]

4. Impeachment

n/t

[BlueJac]

5. You mean when they forget to resign?

Impeach then.

[valerief]

6. They eat jelly beans and smile for the camera

[CityDem]

7. William O Douglas

There were reports that Douglas was pretty ill during the last year or so on the bench. The way these powerful people cover for each other, who knows what the hell would happen.

[struggle4progress]

8. Douglas was a sharp thinker. If you have evidence he was of unsound ..

mind towards the end, you should provide it; otherwise, you shouldn't make this sort of ugly accusation. I remember that Douglas tried to hold out so a Democrat could appoint his replacement, but when it was clear that wouldn't happen he did resign.

[cmkramer]

16. Controversy

I do remember that there was pressure on him to either resign or pressure to have him removed from office. I don't remember what for although it was definitely not anything criminal in nature.

He married a law school student many years his junior during his tenure on the court who became an attorney in her own right.

[liberalpragmatist]

9. In the past justices have been pressured to step down by colleagues

I can't remember who, but I remember reading that one justice during the late 50s/early 60s was pressured to step down because he was overwhelmed by the responsibilities of the office and suffering severe exhaustion and nervous breakdowns.

I don't know what would happen if they refused to step down. They may have to be impeached, if that could be allowed.

[Rhiannon12866]

10. How about if this happened to a U.S. president?!

:eyes:

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

17. Gee that is just so

hard to imagine, isn't it? Luckily * doesn't suffer from any cognitive or mental disabilities or inabilities.

Phew!

:sarcasm:

[liberaliraqvet26]

11. ST RAYGUN had alzheimers and was in the white house...

so as long as their Conservative it's OK.

[Gyre]

12. I'll bite. You get crazy laws like the emminent domain one? n/t

[dogman]

13. You wait for nature, just like Rehnquist.

Look at the robe he designed for Clinton's impeachment, delusions of grandeur?

[bemildred]

14. Nothing. Still a perfectly good USSC judge. nt

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

15. The only precedent we have is Poppy stepping in for Raygun.