A woman who has been serving on the bench since the Reagan era has just been removed, and it is a good thing.
Judge Pauline Newman has been suspended.
The 96-year-old judge had received complaints that brought her mental acuity into question.
Off the Bench
An investigation took place due to complaints about forgetfulness and Newman sometimes just appearing lost.
She was also accused of not being able to retain information, which is clearly an issue for a judge.
So, her legal team got two doctors to say that she was fine and perfectly capable of sitting on the bench.
The review panel, however, wanted an independent source to examine her, which she declined.
So, the panel has suspended Judge Newman from hearing cases for one year but was not clear if she will still have to undergo a review to return to the bench.
The panel stated, “Judge Newman has been having trouble recalling events, conversations, and information just days old and having trouble comprehending basic information that court staff communicate to her.”
The council added that “numerous emails sent by Judge Newman, provided overwhelming evidence that Judge Newman may be experiencing significant mental problems including memory loss, lack of comprehension, confusion, and an inability to perform basic tasks that she previously was able to perform with ease.”
I just have one question… what the hell is a 96-year-old still doing on the bench anyway?
When do we start to put some mandatory retirement or testing on the books for judges and politicians?
Or are we going to keep having Alzheimer’s patients continue to make the most serious decisions in this country?
Source: CBS News