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Simple English definitions for legal terms
associate justice
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A quick definition of associate justice:
An associate justice is a judge who is part of a group of judges, but is not the leader. This term is often used to describe one of the eight judges on the Supreme Court of the United States. The President chooses an associate justice and the Senate approves them. Once they are approved, they have the job for life and can only be removed if they do something very wrong. The current associate justices are Clarence Thomas, Stephen Breyer, Samuel Alito, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett.
A more thorough explanation:
An associate justice is a member of a judicial panel who is not the chief justice. This term is commonly used to describe one of the eight associate justices on the Supreme Court of the United States. However, many state courts also use this term to designate their judges.
An associate justice on the Supreme Court of the United States is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Once confirmed, they have life tenure and can only be removed by impeachment or voluntary retirement.
For example, Clarence Thomas, Stephen Breyer, Samuel Alito, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett are the current associate justices of the Supreme Court of the United States.
This term is important because it helps to distinguish the chief justice from the other members of the judicial panel. The associate justices play a crucial role in interpreting the law and making decisions that impact the lives of Americans.