Folks oughta be scratching their heads—trying to impeach federal judges is a slog that’s borderline impossible. It’s not some quick fix for kicking out a judge you don’t like; it’s built for nailing serious crooks in robes, not their rulings. History backs it up—barely a handful of these guys have ever been booted, and it’s always tied to big-time criminal messes, not just a bad call on the bench.
The nuts and bolts of this mess are a tangle—lawmakers in the House of Representatives have to dig deep, running investigations, holding fact-finding powwows, and drafting formal charges if they catch a whiff of real dirt. Then it’s off to the Senate for a trial—takes a two-thirds vote, 67 senators, to seal the deal and send a judge packing. That’s a mountain to climb—15 judges impeached ever, only eight kicked out, four cleared, three bailed before the gavel dropped. This ain’t easy—it’s a grind that’s stacked against getting rid of ‘em, and it’s no wonder it hardly happens.
What kicks it off—Article I of the Constitution lays it out, says judges can go if they pull “high crimes and misdemeanors” like treason or bribery, not just for ruffling feathers. FindLaw spells it—starts with a House member or committee sniffing around, digging through the muck, hearings piling up evidence. Last guy to face it—Judge G. Thomas Porteous, Jr. in 2010—got nailed for bribery and lying under oath, took four articles of impeachment to oust him. They’re chasing felons here—not grumpy rulings—and it’s a slog to prove it.
The process drags on—House needs a simple majority to impeach, but Senate’s the real wall, 67 votes ain’t a stroll. Ballotpedia says it—judges get life gigs under Article III, “during good Behaviour,” so it’s only the big stuff—perjury, fraud, conflicts—that trips the wire. Eight booted since 1789—think Judge John Pickering in 1804, drunk and cussing on the bench, or Judge Walter Nixon in 1989, lying to feds. Takes a mountain of dirt—most skate ‘cause digging it up’s a bear, and 67 votes is a pipe dream.
They’ve built it tough—Brennan Center notes it’s about “grave ethical or criminal misconduct,” not politics, protecting judges from getting axed over rulings folks hate. House can start it with 218 votes, but Senate’s two-thirds bar—67 out of 100—stops it cold. Four walked free—acquitted—‘cause the case didn’t stick; three quit before the axe fell. This is why it’s near impossible—takes crazy proof and a Senate miracle, not just gripes about decisions.
Sources:
https://archive.is/JSiVf#selection-895.0-909.338
https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/courtside/what-does-it-take-to-impeach-a-federal-judge/
https://ballotpedia.org/Impeachment_of_federal_judges
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/impeachment-and-removal-judges-explainer