First Monday in October is important

Most people don’t give much thought to the first Monday in October unless they hear on the news or are legal scholars who know that by virtue of our nation’s constitution that the “first Monday in October” is ordained to be the start of each term of the United States Supreme Court. Overall, it is as good a time as any, for the sessions of the Supreme Court to start, since the justices have escaped the hot weather season.

The Constitution was written in an era before air-conditioning, and the sessions normally cease their sessions around the month of June or early July and issue their rulings then. One aspect that I think warrants a constitutional change is that justices are appointed “for life” terms. Back in the year 1787, life expectancy in America was a mere 38 years of age. Nowadays in 2022, the life expectancy has risen to close to 79 years of age.

While a person may be living longer, their reflexes, cognition, and endurance tend to diminish in older Americans. I would fully support an Amendment to the Constitution making it mandatory that Supreme Court Justices have a 50-member panel of law examiners (one, from each State) to review the law licenses of each Justice with three Justices renewing their competency every three years up to age 80. Furthermore, there should be a 12-year “term limit" to any justice. The High Court needs more rapid turnover.

James A. Marples,

Longview, Texas