By Jorge Lopez Morales
October 19, 2029
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Testifying before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee yesterday, Justice Letitia James said the U.S. Supreme Court does not oppose various ideas floated by lawmakers to reform the judiciary to resemble successful frameworks in other countries.
“It’s our job to think big about the law. It’s your job to think big about how our institutions are structured in an equitable and just fashion,” she told members.
James, a former elected official in New York, said the Supreme Court has delegated her to consult with Congress as lawmakers begin to draw up a framework for judicial restructuring post-secession.
Congressional Democrats first proposed a constitutional amendment in January to remove Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices and enact sweeping reform. However, House Speaker Joe Neguse, D-Colo, brokered a deal to withdraw the proposal in exchange for the GOP appointees’ resignations.
Now, members of Congress are returning to the subject of reform. In his opening remarks, Judiciary Committee Chair Jamie Raskin, D-Md., floated multiple ideas, including:
- creating a constitutional court specifically to review federal constitutional challenges to legislation and executive actions
- requiring supermajority thresholds to invalidate legislative acts
- creating a screening and selection system for judges akin to systems used by several states
- expanding the size of the Supreme Court and rotating membership among the lower courts for fixed terms
- giving Congress a window to debate and reject rulings that strike down legislation
“My colleagues and I are interested in having the discussion, alongside the legal community and our peers throughout the federal judiciary,” said James. “Certainly, the citizens of the United States should have the opportunity to have their voices heard, and we think this body is best positioned in our democratic structure to do that work.”
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