Judge Fitness Probe Cites Nonexistent Heart Attack, Newman Says

The Federal Circuit chief judge’s bid to oust its oldest and longest-serving member is “riddled with errors,” including that Judge Pauline Newman suffered a heart attack that interfered with her work, the 95-year-old jurist said in a new lawsuit against her colleagues.

The complaint, filed Wednesday in a D.C. federal court, is the latest development in a controversial case that has renewed scrutiny on judicial lifetime appointments and raised open questions about the process for addressing a judge’s physical and mental fitness.

In it, Newman alleged that Chief Judge Kimberly Moore misstated details about Newman’s recent tenure with the ...