Where the US Supreme Court Falls Short as Biden Urges Reforms in Oval Office Address

Washington: US President Joe Biden appeared on camera for the first time since announcing his decision not to run for re-election on Wednesday. During his Oval Office address, Biden stressed the urgent need for Supreme Court reform, calling it "critical to our democracy." 

“I'm going to call for Supreme Court reform because this is critical to our democracy, Supreme Court reform,” said Biden as he proposed reconsidering the lifetime tenure of justices as part of long-overdue reforms to enhance the judicial system's accountability and adaptability. Biden emphasized the importance of prioritizing democracy over personal ambition in his remarks.

In a democratic institution, all pillars of democracy should be balanced with equal power and act as checks on each other. However, the U.S. democracy is often criticized for being biased towards the judicial system, with frequent allegations that the country has an overly powerful judiciary. 

In India, the appointment process involves judicial participation through the collegium system, which approves judicial appointments. Meanwhile, the world's oldest democracy still continues to seek reforms.

Lifetime Tenure

The judges of the US Supreme Court do not have a fixed tenure, they serve until their death or if convicted by the Senate through impeachment. 

The longest-serving Justice in the history of the US Supreme Court was William O. Douglas who served from April 15, 1939, to November 12, 1975, totaling 36 years and 211 days. 

Currently, Clarence Thomas has been part of the Supreme Court for the last 32 years. 

Appointment Process

The President of the United States nominates a candidate for the Supreme Court when there is a vacancy. Though the appointment is subject to Senate approval, it can be an opportunity for the president to create his political legacy. 

The process of appointment can be heavily influenced by partisan politics, with nominations often becoming battlegrounds for broader political conflicts. Recently, Amy Coney Barrett’s appointment by Donald Trump was stuck down in the senate in the election year of 2020. 

These loopholes in the appointment system makes the justice less accountable for their decisions and judgements. Thus, Biden looking forwards to amend the judicial system could be progressive step ahead.