Chief Justice of Aumarea
| Chief Justice of the United Federation | |
|---|---|
Incumbent Vacant | |
| Supreme Court of the United Federation | |
| Style | Your Honour |
| Type | Supreme Justice |
| Status | Chief Justice |
| Member of | Supreme Court |
| Reports to | Supreme Court |
| Seat | Kosa Federal District |
| Nominator | Senate |
| Appointer | President |
| Term length | Life Tenure |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Aumarea |
| Formation | 4 March 2023 |
| Deputy | Vice Chief Justice |
The Chief Justice of the United Federation is the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United Federation and the highest-ranking officer of the UF Federal Judiciary. Article II, Section II, Clause 2 of the Constitution grants plenary power to the President of the United Federation to nominate, and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint "Judges of the supreme Court", who serve until they resign, retire, or are impeached and convicted. The existence of a chief justice is explicit in Article I, Section III, Clause 6 which states that the chief justice shall preside on the impeachment trial of the president.
The chief justice has significant influence in the selection of cases for review and leads the discussion of cases among the justices. Additionally, when the court renders an opinion, the chief justice, if in the majority, chooses who writes the court's opinion; however, when deciding a case, the chief justice's vote counts no more than that of any other justice.
Article I, Section III, Clause 6 designates the chief justice to preside during presidential impeachment trials in the Senate. The presidential oath of office is by tradition typically administered by the chief justice. The chief justice serves as a spokesperson for the federal government's judicial branch and acts as a chief administrative officer for the federal courts.
History
The office of chief justice is the oldest judicial office in the United Federation. It was de facto established on 4 March 2023 but was de jure established on 12 March 2023 with the ratification of the Constitution of Aumarea.
Powers and Duties
Along with their general responsibilities as a member of the Supreme Court, the chief justice has several unique duties to fulfill.
Impeachment Trials
Article I, Section III of the Constitution declares that the chief justice shall preside over the Senate trial of an impeached president of the United Federation.
Seniority
Many of the court's procedures and inner workings are governed by the rules of protocol based on the seniority of the justices. The chief justice always ranks first in the order of precedence—regardless of the length of the officeholder's service (even if shorter than that of one or more associate justices). This elevated status allows successive chief justices to define and refine both the court's culture and its judicial priorities. The chief justice also sets the agenda for the weekly meetings.
Despite the chief justice's elevated stature, their vote carries the same legal weight as the vote of each associate justice. Additionally, they have no legal authority to overrule the verdicts or interpretations without congressional approval. The task of assigning who shall write the opinion for the majority falls to the most senior justice in the majority. Thus, when the chief justice is in the majority, they always assign the opinion. The chief justice's formal prerogative, when in the majority, to assign which justice will write the court's opinion is perhaps their most influential power, as this enables them to influence the historical record.
Presidential Oath
The chief justice has traditionally administered the presidential oath of office to new presidents. This is merely custom, and is not a constitutional responsibility of the chief justice. The chief justice ordinarily administers the oath of office to newly appointed and confirmed associate justices, whereas the senior-most associate justice will normally swear in a new chief justice.
If the chief justice is ill or incapacitated, the oath is usually administered by the senior-most member of the Supreme Court.
Other Duties
The chief justice is vested with some other duties including:
- Serving as Head of the Federal Judiciary
- Appoints Federal Judges to Inferior Federal Courts
- Appoints a Vice Chief Justice
Disability or Vacancy
When the chief justice is unable to discharge their functions, or when that office is vacant, the chief justice's duties are carried out by the most senior associate justice until the disability or vacancy ends. Typically the most senior justice is the Vice Chief Justice unless the office is also vacant.