How do US Supreme Court justices get appointed? - Peter Paccone

譯者: Helen Chang 審譯者: S Sung

There's a job out there with a great deal of power, pay, prestige,

有份掌大權、領高薪、被尊崇

and near-perfect job security.

並且工作保障幾近完美的職位

And there's only one way to be hired:

只有一個獲聘的管道：

get appointed to the US Supreme Court.

被任命為美國最高法院大法官

If you want to become a justice on the Supreme Court,

如果你想成美國最高法院

the highest federal court in the United States,

全美聯邦政府最高法院的大法官

three things have to happen.

必須符合三個條件：

You have to be nominated by the president of the United States,

獲得美國總統的提名

your nomination needs to be approved by the Senate,

參議院通過這項提名

and finally, the president must formally appoint you to the court.

以及總統正式任命進入最高法院

Because the Constitution doesn't specify any qualifications,

由於憲法並未明列任何任命的資格

in other words, that there's no age, education, profession,

意即沒年齡、教育程度或職業的限制

or even native-born citizenship requirement,

甚至沒要求必須在美國本土出生

a president can nominate any individual to serve.

因此總統能提名任何人為大法官

So far, six justices have been foreign-born,

截至目前為止 有六名大法官在國外出生

at least one never graduated from high school,

至少一人未曾從高中畢業

and another was only 32 years old when he joined the bench.

另有一人在三十二歲時就成為大法官

Most presidents nominate individuals who broadly share their ideological view,

大多數的總統提名與他們的 意識形態大致相近的候選人

so a president with a liberal ideology

所以有著自由意識形態的總統

will tend to appoint liberals to the court.

傾向於任命自由派的人選

Of course, a justice's leanings are not always so predictable.

當然，大法官的意識傾向 不盡全然可被預測

For example, when President Eisenhower, a Republican,

例如，共和黨的艾森豪總統

nominated Earl Warren for Chief Justice,

任命厄爾 · 沃倫為首席大法官

Eisenhower expected him to make conservative decisions.

艾森豪原以為他會做出保守的裁決

Instead, Warren's judgements have gone down as some of the most liberal

相反地，沃倫下了好幾個 美國最高法院史上最自由的判定

in the Court's history.

Eisenhower later remarked on that appointment

艾森豪事後說

那項人事任命是他犯的「最大錯誤」

as "the biggest damned-fool mistake" he ever made.

Many other factors come up for consideration, as well,

還有許多其他的考量因素

including experience, personal loyalties, ethnicity, and gender.

包括：經驗、忠誠度、種族和性別

然後對候選人進行徹底審查

The candidates are then thoroughly vetted

down to their tax records and payments to domestic help.

連他們的稅務記錄 和給家庭幫傭的付款都要看

Once the president interviews the candidate

一旦總統面試了候選人

and makes a formal nomination announcement,

宣佈正式提名

the Senate leadership traditionally turns the nomination over to hearings

傳統上參議院領袖會把提名

轉交給參議院司法委員會的聽證會

by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

依照提名的爭議性程度

Depending on the contentiousness of the choice,

that can stretch over many days.

有的聽證時日會拉得很長

Since the Nixon administration, these hearings have averaged 60 days.

自尼克森政府時代起

聽證會平均費時六十天

The nominee is interviewed about their law record, if applicable,

如果適用的話，被提名人 會被訪談他們過去的法律記錄

and where they stand on key issues to discern how they might vote.

以及他們在關鍵問題上的立場 用來判別以後他們會如何投票

And especially in more recent history,

尤其在近期的審查中

the committee tries to unearth any dark secrets or past indiscretions.

委員會試圖發掘任何晦暗的秘密 或過去曾有的失檢行為

The Judiciary Committee votes to send the nomination to the full Senate

審查後，司法委員會呈給全體參議院

with a positive or negative recommendation,

附帶支持或反對該提名的建議

often reflective of political leanings, or no recommendation at all.

這通常反映著政治的傾向； 但有時則不附帶任何的建議

Most rejections have happened when the Senate majority

拒絕提名的情況大多發生於

多數的參議員和總統 分屬於不同的黨派時

has been a different political party than the president.

When the Senate does approve, it's by a simple majority vote,

若獲多數票，參議院通過任命提案

with ties broken by the vice president.

假使正反票平手，則由副總統定奪

With the Senate's consent,

經參議院同意

the president issues a written appointment,

總統提出正式的書面任命

allowing the nominee to complete the final steps

讓被提名人完成最後的步驟

to take the constitutional and judicial oaths.

宣誓憲法和司法的誓言

In doing so,

如此

they solemnly swear to administer justice without respect to persons

他們莊嚴地發誓會依照正義 而不是依照人

and do equal right to the poor and the rich

平等看待窮人與富人的權利

and faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent

忠實、公正地執行及履行所有的義務

upon a US Supreme Court justice.

維護美國最高法院正義

This job is for life,

這是終身職

barring resignation, retirement, or removal from the court by impeachment.

不能辭職、退休，或因被彈劾而解職

And of the 112 justices who have held the position,

過去任職的 112 名大法官中

not one has yet been removed from office as a result of an impeachment.

沒有一個由於彈劾而被解職

One of their roles is to protect the fundamental rights of all Americans,

大法官的角色之一是保護 所有美國人的基本權利

even as different parties take power.

即使政黨輪替也一樣

With the tremendous impact of this responsibility,

具有如此巨大的影響力和責任

it's no wonder that a US Supreme Court justice is expected to be,

難怪大家期望美國最高法院應該是

in the words of Irving R. Kaufman,

用歐文 · 考夫曼的話來說：

"a paragon of virtue,

「美德的典範

an intellectual Titan,

智慧的巨人

and an administrative wizard."

和行政的嚮導」

Of course, not every member of the Court turns out to be an exemplar of justice.

當然，不是每個大法官 都成了正義的典範

Each leaves behind a legacy of decisions and opinions

每一位身後留下裁決和意見

to be debated and dissected by the ultimate judges,

留待時間和歷史來 辯論、解析和做最終的審判

time and history.