On Monday, September 9, 2024, the ABA Journal reported that Judge Pauline Newman’s attorney, Gregory Dolin, strongly criticized the recent decision to extend her suspension from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Dolin described the actions taken against her as “impeachment by subterfuge,” arguing that the judicial council lacks the authority to impose such measures.
Newman, who is 97 years old, was suspended amid concerns regarding her cognitive fitness. The judicial council’s decision followed a recommendation from a special committee that cited evidence of cognitive decline and increasingly erratic behavior.
However, Newman contends that her refusal to undergo medical evaluations should not be interpreted as an admission of incapacity. He emphasized that two of her doctors have deemed her fit to continue her judicial responsibilities.
Newman’s brief expressed skepticism about the fairness of the special committee’s investigation, citing a “history of factual misstatements and legal errors.”
Dolin plans to appeal the suspension to the U.S. Judicial Conference’s Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability.
Source: ABA Journal
