The judicial power of the United States shall be vested in one Supreme Court and in such inferior courts as may be established by this Constitution and by law consistent with this Constitution. The Judicial Branch shall interpret and apply this Constitution, the laws of the United States, treaties, and all matters properly brought before the courts of the United States.
The courts of the United States shall administer justice impartially, safeguard the rights and liberties secured by this Constitution, resolve disputes arising under the authority of the United States, and ensure that all persons and all branches of government remain subject to the rule of law.
Judicial offices of the United States shall include Supreme Court Justices and such appellate, civil, criminal, bankruptcy, and other judges as may be established by this Constitution or by law consistent with this Constitution. Every judicial office shall be elected, shall be non-partisan, and shall be subject to the qualifications, limitations, and term restrictions set forth in this Article.
All judges of the United States shall be elected by the citizens in non-partisan elections. No judicial office shall be filled by presidential appointment, executive appointment, legislative appointment, confirmation, or any other appointment process.
Judges shall be elected only by the citizens of the jurisdiction served by the office sought.
No person shall be elected or serve as a judge of a regional, divisional, district, circuit, State-based, or other geographically limited court unless that person resides within the jurisdiction served by that judicial office, as provided by law.
No person shall be elected or serve as a judge of the United States unless that person is admitted to practice law in the United States in the manner provided by law.
No person shall be elected or serve as a judge of the United States who has been convicted of a serious offense involving dishonesty, corruption, fraud, bribery, abuse of public office, or other breach of public trust as defined by law.
Each judicial office shall be limited to one elected term only. No person may be reelected to the same class of judicial office in any jurisdiction of the United States.
For the purposes of this Article, a class of judicial office means the type of judgeship established by this Constitution or by law, including but not limited to Supreme Court Justice, appellate judge, civil judge, criminal judge, bankruptcy judge, and any other distinct judicial office established under the United States. Differences in district, division, circuit, State, seat number, or place of service shall not create a new class of judicial office.
A person who has served one full elected term in one class of judicial office may seek election only to a different class of judicial office, and only after completion of the elected term then being served. No sitting judge shall campaign for, seek, qualify for, or assume another judicial office before the expiration of the judge’s current elected term.
A vacancy in any judicial office shall be filled by election of the citizens of the jurisdiction served by that office, in the manner and within the time provided by law. No vacancy in a judicial office shall be permanently filled by appointment.
Judges shall decide cases according to the Constitution, the laws, and the facts lawfully before the court. No judge shall be subject to direction by the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, or any private party in the exercise of judicial duty.
The courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction over all cases and controversies arising under this Constitution, the laws of the United States, treaties made under the authority of the United States, disputes between States where authorized by this Constitution, disputes involving officers or branches of the United States, and such other matters as may be provided by this Constitution or by law consistent with this Constitution.
The courts of the United States shall have the authority to interpret this Constitution and to declare void any law, act, order, judgment, regulation, or exercise of public authority that is contrary to this Constitution.
The courts of the United States shall have authority to issue judgments, injunctions, writs, stays, warrants, contempt orders, and all other lawful process necessary to the exercise of judicial power and the enforcement of their judgments.
No judge shall hear or decide any matter in which the judge has a personal, financial, familial, electoral, or other substantial conflict of interest. Congress shall by law establish uniform judicial ethics, disclosure, and recusal standards consistent with this Constitution, but no such law shall diminish the minimum duty of impartiality required by this Article.
Judges of the United States may be removed, suspended, or otherwise disciplined for corruption, abuse of office, incapacity, willful violation of judicial duty, or serious ethical misconduct, in the manner provided by this Constitution and by law consistent with due process of law.
Proceedings of the courts of the United States shall be public except where closure or sealing is justified under law for the protection of compelling interests. Final decisions of appellate courts and the Supreme Court shall be issued in writing and made available to the public in the manner provided by law.
A judicial enforcement service may be established by law within the Judicial Branch to secure court facilities, protect judges, jurors, witnesses, parties, and records, execute lawful judicial process, maintain order in judicial proceedings, and enforce judgments and orders of the courts. Such service shall possess no general legislative or executive power beyond that necessary to carry out judicial functions lawfully assigned to it.
Congress may provide by law for the administration, organization, procedures, and operation of the courts of the United States, provided that such laws shall not impair judicial independence, alter the method of judicial election established by this Article, create judicial appointments, or weaken the term limits and qualifications established by this Article.
The courts of the United States shall remain open and capable of exercising judicial power at all times. Laws enacted under this Article may provide for temporary administrative assignments, case transfers, and continuity procedures necessary for the uninterrupted administration of justice, but shall not be construed to authorize the permanent appointment of any judge in violation of this Article.