John T. Copenhaver

Taken as a whole, Judge Copenhaver's career, which has lasted far longer than his ability to function as a judicial officer, presents the most compelling argument against Art. III's grant of lifetime tenure to federal judges. He seems to believe that he can avoid any risk of reversal by never ruling on a dispositive motion, even a well-founded motion to dismiss or a motion for summary judgment, by simply ignoring the motion until the eve of trial. I don't doubt that he was once a functioning judge, but that day, like the days of quill pens and inkwells, has passed him by.