Crooked lawmakers are scheming again.
In an era of increasing political polarization, a new proposal from Senators Joe Manchin (I-WV) and Peter Welch (D-VT) aims to reform the structure of the U.S. Supreme Court by introducing 18-year term limits for justices. This measure seeks to create regular turnover on the nation’s highest court, addressing concerns about partisanship, gridlock, and the erosion of public trust in the judiciary.
The proposed resolution calls for a constitutional amendment to establish nonrenewable 18-year terms for future Supreme Court justices, with one new justice appointed every two years. While the current lifetime appointment system was originally intended to protect justices from political pressure, critics argue that it has contributed to divisive confirmation battles and entrenched ideological divides. As Senator Manchin points out, the status quo has “eroded public confidence in the highest court in our land.”
The proposal would not affect the tenure of sitting justices, who would continue to serve for as long as they wish or until they become incapacitated. Instead, it would gradually phase in 18-year terms for new justices. This would ensure that the court remains dynamic and responsive to the changing political landscape, while maintaining the tradition of nine justices.
Proponents of the reform argue that the current system has become increasingly politicized, with each Supreme Court vacancy becoming a high-stakes battle between the parties. With regular turnover, presidential appointments would no longer be a once-in-a-generation event, but rather a consistent part of the democratic process. The proposal also aims to reduce the harmful influence of political gamesmanship, as the appointment process would be less likely to be dominated by partisan tensions.
Polls show that the American public overwhelmingly supports the idea of term limits for Supreme Court justices. A 2024 survey found that 68 percent of Americans favor term limits, and 71 percent support requiring justices to retire at a certain age. Legal scholars, including former federal judges, also back the proposal, noting that other nations with apex courts have successfully implemented term limits to ensure fairness and accountability.
By bringing term limits to the Supreme Court, we would take a step toward restoring public faith in a branch of government that has often been seen as increasingly out of touch with the people. As Professor Kermit Roosevelt of the University of Pennsylvania notes, the proposal “offers a non-partisan fix to an appointment process that our political parties have broken in ways the Framers could not anticipate.”
Ultimately, the introduction of term limits would help to depoliticize the Supreme Court, reduce the influence of partisan interests, and restore confidence in the rule of law. It’s time to update our judicial system to reflect the needs of a modern, dynamic America.