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Exterior view of the Court House in Riverside, ca.1910 (CHS-5280)
USCIS Civics · Question 56 of 128

Supreme Court justices serve for life. Why?

Official Answer

To be independent (of politics)

Also accepted: To limit outside (political) influence

In plain English

Justices serve for life to be independent of politics. They never need to win an election or please a political party. This limits outside political influence on their decisions. They can follow only the law and the Constitution. Supreme Court justices serve for life to be independent of politics.

From the archives

Exterior view of the Court House in Riverside, ca.1910 (CHS-5280)
Exterior view of the Court House in Riverside, ca.1910 (CHS-5280)C. C. Pierce, via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
Image: Exterior view of the Court House in Riverside, ca.1910 (CHS-5280) — C. C. Pierce, via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.Answers verbatim from USCIS M-1778 (09/25)