‘Ranting, rambling, and paranoid’: Federal appeals court suspends 96-year-old judge until she passes mental exam
lawandcrime.com
Judge Newman has threatened to have staff arrested, forcibly removed from the building, and fired. She accused staff of trickery, deceit, acting as her adversary, stealing her computer, stealing her files, and depriving her of secretarial support. Staff have described Judge Newman in their interactions with her as “aggressive, angry, combative, and intimidating”; “bizarre and unnecessarily hostile”; making “personal accusations”; “agitated, belligerent, and demonstratively angry”; and “ranting, rambling, and paranoid.” Indeed, interactions with Judge Newman have become so dysfunctional that the Clerk of the Court has advised staff to avoid interacting with her in person or, when they must, to bring a co-worker with them.
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I don't get the outrage.
This is law. It takes ten years of practice just to really scratch the surface in one small area of law. Arbitrary compulsive retirements (such freedom) serve only to cause brain and experience drain that cannot be easily made up.
Add to that, most people retire when they should all on their own. Maybe sometimes they need a little push from colleagues. Very rarely does it rise to the level of publis inquest and a forced competency exam.
This time it seems it did, and look! It's happening. What's the real problem? Why is throwing the baby out with the bath water seen as a legit solution?
I prefer government officials, and especially judges and senators, to have real experience. Most elders are not senile old coots, especially not those who spent their lifetime in a career that by nature is as daily taxing on memory and recall as is the law. Some say the law is a study and a practice in memory. The best trial lawyers usually have the best memory. Add to that the extensive amount of reading and writing trial attorneys and judges do. It's not like this judge has been clocking out from a show-up job every day at 5 pm and then doom scrolling or binging Netflix.
I would say of the judges I've been before including some elderly federal judges in a senior or retired judge, or magistrate sort of role, have been some of the most knowledgeable, most efficient judges I've argued to, especially at the appellate level, where all they do (in theory) is jurisprudence, logical and policy reasoning, and interpretation, the most mentally demanding sort of law practice.
She's 96 and has paranoid persecutory delusions. Supporting her role as a judge is a bizarre take on your part
How is he supporting her role as judge?
Did you not read his comment?
He literally says:
He states that it went wrong this time and that the system in place is correcting the problem. How is that in support of the judge?
The rest of his comment is in support of no age limit for judges. He states in no uncertain terms that the older the judge, the better. His thinking is the cause for a slew of arguably poor decisions made from out of touch geriatric people who overwhelmingly rule over this country.
I'm in support of age limits for people who can directly and insurmountably affect my life. He is not. Therein lies the rub.
I'm not sure if you're being purposely obtuse, nowhere did he say "the older the judge, they better".
Using context clues, I think it's fair to say I'm not the one being obtuse with my interpretation of OPs comment. Also, there's a typo in your quote of me.
See, you're doing it again. Just because he is ok with some older judges, you've drawn the conclusion that he supports this judge - despite the fact that he clearly stated he didn't. That's not "contextual clues", but just reading what you want to read.
It was autocorrect
I'm done arguing with you.
That's great and all in theory but this one clearly has issues and can't do her job.
Well reasoned contribution, thank you
I don't necessarily fully agree but I saw you were getting downvotes. Have an upvote.