Appeals court extends suspension of 98-year-old judge over age concerns

A federal appeals court panel announced Monday it would continue the suspension of a 98-year-old judge on the circuit for her refusal to comply with an investigation into concerns over her ability to serve on the court.

The three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit unanimously ordered that Judge Pauline Newman, an appointee of former President Ronald Reagan who has served on the appeals court since 1984, remain blocked from hearing cases, extending a suspension that began in September 2023.