Are members of the Supreme Court above the law?

[samsingh]

specifically, are republican members of the Supreme court above the law? Are they above common ethics that any employee of any company would need to follow?

[Walleye]

1. It would seem so.

[Effete Snob]

2. The problem is...

…any legal issue involving them is ultimately decided by them.

It’s not that they are “above the law”, but there is no one above them in the law.

In your employee/corporation thing, whom would you suggest should have the power of the employer?

One answer is Congress, which can impeach a justice. That ultimately comes down to whether you have 2/3 of the senate willing to convict any justice of anything, which there is not.

[enough]

3. Yes

[Nictuku]

4. I have always thought it wrong that the SC doesn't have to abide

I have always thought it wrong that the Supreme Court doesn't have to abide by the canons of conduct that ALL the rest of the Federal Judiciary must adhere to.

https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/guide-vol02a-ch03.pdf

As a Federal Judiciary employee, I wasn't 'allowed' to make any kind of public partisan statements (including 'likes' on facebook, and they did have people checking our facebook accounts), nor make campaign contributions or have political signs on my lawn. And while I felt like my 'freedom of speech' rights were somewhat infringed, I totally supported the need for the Federal Judiciary to always remain non-partisan. I still do. But I think the Supreme Court should have to abide by the same rules that the Article III Judges had to adhere to.

Federal Judges Code of Conduct: https://jnet.ao.dcn/policy-guidance/guide-judiciary-policy/volume-2-ethics-and-judicial-conduct/part-codes-conduct/ch-2-code-conduct-united-states-judges

Federal Public Defenders Code of Conduct: https://jnet.ao.dcn/policy-guidance/guide-judiciary-policy/volume-2-ethics-and-judicial-conduct/part-codes-conduct/ch-4-code-conduct-federal-public-defender-employees

Apparently the Supreme Court has their own rules that they developed for themselves (which I have not seen). There is no published code of ethics or conduct that I could find for the Supreme Court.

So it doesn't answer the question about 'above the law', because these codes of conduct are not 'law' exactly, but it gives the ruling body of the courts a baseline for taking action when someone does not comply with the canons.

But there are none for the Supreme Court. (or their wives)

[Irish_Dem]

5. They are the law.

And they know it.

[Xoan]

6. When push comes to shove ...

They are the law.