# Life tenure

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{{Short description|Term of office that lasts for the office holder's lifetime}}
{{refimprove|date=October 2018}}
A '''life tenure''' or '''service during good behaviour'''<ref>{{Cite constitution|article=III|section=3|polity=United States|date=June 21, 1788}}</ref> is a [term of office](/source/term_of_office) that lasts for the office holder's lifetime, unless the office holder [decides personally to resign](/source/abdication) or is removed from office because of misbehaving in office or due to extraordinary circumstances.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Oliver |first=Philip D. |date=2012 |title=Assessing and Addressing the Problems Caused by Life Tenure on the Supreme Court |url=https://lawrepository.ualr.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1118&context=appellatepracticeprocess |journal=[The Journal of Appellate Practice and Process](/source/The_Journal_of_Appellate_Practice_and_Process) |volume=13 |issue=1 |pages=11–32 |via=[Bowen Law Repository](/source/Bowen_Law_Repository)}}</ref>

Some [judge](/source/judge)s and members of  [upper chamber](/source/upper_chamber)s (e.g., [senators for life](/source/senators_for_life)) have life tenure. The primary goal of life tenure is to insulate the office holder from external pressures. Certain heads of state, such as [monarch](/source/monarch)s and [presidents for life](/source/Presidents_for_Life), are also given life tenure. [United States federal judge](/source/United_States_federal_judge)s have life tenure once appointed by the [president](/source/President_of_the_United_States) and [confirmed](/source/Advice_and_consent) by the [Senate](/source/United_States_Senate).<ref>Saikrishna Prakash & Steven D. Smith, [http://yalelawjournal.org/the-yale-law-journal/article/how-to-remove-a-federal-judge  "How To Remove a Federal Judge"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415170558/http://yalelawjournal.org/the-yale-law-journal/article/how-to-remove-a-federal-judge |date=2012-04-15 }}, 116 [Yale L.J.](/source/Yale_Law_Journal) 72 (2006).</ref>

In some cases, life tenure lasts only until a mandatory retirement age. For example, [Canadian senators](/source/Senate_of_Canada) are appointed for life, but are forced to retire at 75. Likewise, many judges, including justices of the [Supreme Court of the United Kingdom](/source/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_Kingdom)<ref>[Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993](/source/Judicial_Pensions_and_Retirement_Act_1993)</ref><ref>{{Cite legislation UK |type=act |year=1993 |chapter=8 |act=Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993|section=26 |date= |accessdate=31 July 2023}}</ref> and the [Supreme Court of Canada](/source/Supreme_Court_of_Canada), have life tenure but must retire at 75. In some jurisdictions, a judge who reaches mandatory retirement age may continue to serve as a [supernumerary judge](/source/supernumerary_judge), but may no longer have the guarantees of tenure.

Life tenure also exists in various religious organizations. The [Pope](/source/Pope), as the Bishop of Rome and leader of the worldwide [Catholic Church](/source/Catholic_Church), has life tenure, but other Catholic bishops are required to submit their resignations at age 75.<ref>[http://www.intratext.com/IXT/ENG0017/_P1D.HTM Canon 401 §1]</ref>

Senior [professor](/source/professor)s at academic institutions may also be granted life [tenure](/source/Academic_tenure), which is intended to protect principles of academic freedom.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

Category:Selection of judges in the United States
*Life tenure
Category:Term of office

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Life tenure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_tenure) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_tenure?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.