Federal Circuit Extends Judge Newman’s Suspension Another Year Despite Three Doctors Finding Her Competent

But here’s the truth that the Council would rather you ignore: Judge Newman has already been examined by three independent doctors of her choosing, and every one of them cleared her as fit to serve. Those evaluations didn’t deliver the “smoking gun” her colleagues wanted, so they simply moved the goalposts, demanding yet more tests until they get the answer they prefer. That’s not due process — that’s harassment.

🧩 The Council’s Paper-Thin Justification

The Council’s latest order tries to sound authoritative, citing employee affidavits, internal staff complaints, and even stray notations in Newman’s medical records about “forgetfulness.” But none of this proves she is unfit to serve. None of it comes from litigants. None of it comes from attorneys who appear before her.

Think about that. Not one lawyer has stepped forward to say, “Judge Newman botched my case because she couldn’t understand it.” Instead, the complaints come from IT staff and clerks annoyed that Newman struggled with a new multi-factor authentication system. In other words, workplace gripes have been inflated into grounds for suspending a federal judge.