Why was Pauline Newman suspended? All about the ban imposed on the 96-year-old judge

Recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit suspended Judge Pauline Newman. The news comes after authorities expressed concern about her mental health, and she did not help with an investigation for the same. Forbes stated that a lot of complaints about her mental health had already been filed.

Newman has been serving at the U.S. Court of Appeals for a long time, and according to The New York Times, there were doubts if she could serve in the same position in the future. Although her mental health was questioned multiple times, she claimed that she was absolutely fine.

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Order against Pauline Newman explored in detail

Judge Pauline Newman has been banned from presiding in cases for a year. ABC News stated that the decision was taken by Chief Circuit Judge Kimberly Moore, who discovered that she was not in a condition to perform her duties anymore.

The order was issued based on the interviews with other court members along with the evidence from Newman's emails. The order stated that Newman is possibly suffering from mental problems like "memory loss, lack of comprehension, confusion, and an inability to perform basic tasks that she previously was able to perform with ease." The order also revealed:

"With no national reason – other than frustration over her new confusion – Judge Newman has threatened to have staff arrested, forcibly removed from the building and fired. She accused staff of trickery, deceit, acting as her adversary, stealing her computer, stealing her files and depriving her of secretarial support."

She was ordered to take some neuropsychological exams, however, she denied it, which was considered misconduct. The order stated that they expect a better future for someone who has worked with them for a long time.

The New York Times revealed that Pauline Newman's attorney, Gregory Dolin, was planning to request a review of the order. Dolin expressed dissatisfaction with the way his client's colleagues made certain claims about her mental health.

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What were the accusations against Judge Pauline Newman?

The suspension order against Judge Pauline Newman disclosed that her colleagues offered to help her with her mental problems, but she maintained a distance from them. It also mentioned that it was almost impossible to have a conversation with Newman, and a clerk of the court recommended the staff members stop speaking with her.

ABC News stated that the suspension might be extended if Newman does not participate in the investigation conducted by the court. An investigation against Newman began in March of this year, but she claimed that her condition was not as bad as was being said everywhere.

While the order stated that Newman did not undergo the neuropsychological tests, her attorney, Gregory Dolin, denied the accusations, saying that she went to visit a neurologist. Dolin revealed that the neurologists discovered that she did not have any problems performing her duties.

The 96-year-old joined the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in 1984. She finished her education at Vassar College, Columbia University, and Yale University.