February 7, 2025
Unresolved Debate Topics

Should Supreme Court Justices Be Term Limited? 

Should Congress Expand the Court? 

Should External Ethics Codes Apply to the Court?

The Hopkins Forum, a new nonpartisan debate series from Johns Hopkins University and Open to Debate, is hosting its first debate and taking a close look at the highest court in the land and its future.

In the past year, multiple proposals have been suggested to change the way the Supreme Court operates. While the Justices enjoy lifetime tenure, term limits have been discussed in policy circles as a way to bring fresh and diverse perspectives to the bench. Others have suggested similar objectives might be achieved by expanding the number of seats on the Court. In addition, recent controversies have highlighted flaws in the Court’s self-policed ethics code, raising calls for external oversight and reform.

In our “Unresolved” format, a former Attorney General, a former member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, a former co-chair of President Biden’s Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court, and a law professor and Supreme Court commentator will debate term limits, expanding the Supreme Court, and whether external ethics codes should be applied.

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