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Supreme Court Term Limits: Establishing 18-Year Terms for Justices.

This proposed constitutional amendment establishes fixed 18-year terms for all future Supreme Court justices, replacing lifetime tenure. The goal is to normalize vacancies and appointments, ensuring a predictable turnover in the nation's highest court. This change affects the long-term stability and interpretation of federal laws that govern citizens' rights and obligations.
Key points
New justices will serve a single, non-renewable 18-year term, with a fixed schedule for appointments starting on July 1 of odd-numbered years.
The Supreme Court composition remains fixed at nine justices.
The most senior justice automatically assumes the role of Chief Justice when that position becomes vacant.
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Status: Expired
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Additional Information
Print number: 118_SJRES_120
Sponsor: Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT]
Process start date: 2024-12-05
System Note: Lustra is free, publicly auditable civic infrastructure — full source code available on GitHub. You are reading sterilized legislative data, processed by our radical neutrality engine to strip political spin and retain factual mechanics. We process only official government data. Original documents remain the authoritative source—always verify them if you can.
Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash-preview-09-2025
Source data: api.congress.gov
AI work logs for this document launch

OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to normalize vacancies and appointments for justices of the Supreme Court of the United States and for other purposes.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 118_SJRES_120.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the Senate.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2024-12-05.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • New justices will serve a single, non-renewable 18-year term, with a fixed schedule for appointments starting on July 1 of odd-numbered years.
  • The Supreme Court composition remains fixed at nine justices.
  • The most senior justice automatically assumes the role of Chief Justice when that position becomes vacant.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Expired.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Introduced in Senate

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-26.

What is the impact of this bill?

We don't know—that is up to you to decide. Summarizing raw data with AI is fundamentally different from predicting socio-economic outcomes. As of 2026, we believe impact assessment strictly requires a human in the loop to verify and judge.

CATEGORIES

Courts and Law