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In Defense Of The Constitution's Judicial Impeachment Standard, Melissa H. Maxman

Michigan Law Review

This Note explores the traditional interpretation of the Constitution's impeachment provisions in light of the demands of Judges Claiborne's, Nixon's, and Hastings' cases. Part I describes the signals indicating analytical shortcomings, and thus the need for reexamination of the provisions as currently construed. It shows that the troubling results of the recent standard allowing criminal prosecution before impeachment are apparent to both the courts and the Congress. Part II analyzes the meaning and purpose of the constitutional language, and the recent policy challenges to it. This part shows that, in fact, the impeachment provisions were carefully chosen by the Constitution's …