Nixonv.

US,506US224
ArguedOctober14,1992DecidedJanuary13,1993
Facts:
WalterNixon,aformerChiefJudgeoftheUnitedStatesDistrictCourtfortheSouthern
DistrictofMississippi,wasconvictedbyajuryoftwocountsofmakingfalsestatements
beforeafederalgrandjury.AfterpetitionerNixon,wasconvictedoffederalcrimesand
sentencedtoprison,theHouseofRepresentativesadoptedarticlesofimpeachment
againsthimandpresentedthemtotheSenate.FollowingproceedingspursuanttoSenate
RuleXIwhichallowsacommitteeofSenatorstohearevidenceagainstanimpeached
individualandtoreportthatevidencetothefullSenatetheSenatevotedtoconvict
Nixon,andthepresidingofficerenteredjudgmentremovinghimfromhisjudgeship..He
thencommencedthepresentsuitforadeclaratoryjudgmentandreinstatementofhis
judicialsalaryandprivileges,arguingthat,becauseSenateRuleXIprohibitsthewhole
Senatefromtakingpartintheevidentiaryhearings,itviolatesthefirstsentenceofthe
ConstitutionsImpeachmentTrialClause,Art.I,3,cl.6,whichprovidesthatthe
SenateshallhavethesolePowertotryallImpeachments.TheDistrictCourtheldthat
hisclaimwasnonjusticiable,i.e.,involvedapoliticalquestionthatcouldnotberesolved
bythecourts.TheCourtofAppealsaffirmed.
Issue:
WhetherornottheconstitutionalityofSenateRuleXIisnonjusticiablebecauseit
involvesapoliticalquestion?
Held:Yes.JudgmentAffirmed.
Acontroversyisnonjusticiablebecauseofthepoliticalquestiondoctrineforoneoftwo
reasons.First,ifthereisatextuallydemonstrableconstitutionalcommitmentoftheissue
toacoordinatepoliticaldepartmentispresent.Second,ifathereisalackofjudicially
discoverableandmanageablestandardsforresolvingthecontroversyBakerv.Carr,369
U.S.186,217.Alackofjudiciallymanageablestandardsmaystrengthenaconclusion
thatthereisatextuallydemonstrablecommitment.
Nixonsclaimthatthewordtryrequiredproceedingsinthenatureofajudicialtrial
wasrejectedbytheCourt.Theconclusionthattheuseofthewordtryinthefirst
sentenceoftheImpeachmentTrialClauselackssufficientprecisiontoaffordany
judiciallymanageablestandardofreviewoftheSenatesactionsisfortifiedbythe
existenceofthethreeveryspecificrequirementsthattheConstitutiondoesimposeonthe
Senatewhentryingimpeachments:TheMembersmustbeunderoath,atwothirdsvoteis
requiredtoconvict,andtheChiefJusticepresideswhenthePresidentistried.These
limitationsarequiteprecise,andtheirnaturesuggeststhattheFramersdidnotintendto
imposeadditionallimitationsontheformoftheSenateproceedingsbytheuseofthe
wordtryinthefirstsentence.

TheCourtfoundthattheConstitutionsimpositionofthesolepowerofimpeachmenton
theSenateconstitutedatextuallydemonstrablecommitmenttoacoordinatepolitical
department.TheFramerslaboredoverthequestionofwheretheimpeachmentpower
shouldlie. AccordingtoAlexanderHamilton,theSenatewasthemostfitdepositaryof
thisimportanttrustbecauseitsMembersarerepresentativesofthepeople.TheSupreme
CourtwasnottheproperbodybecausetheFramersdoubtedwhetherthemembersof
thattribunalwould,atalltimes,beendowedwithsoeminentaportionoffortitudeas
wouldbecalledforintheexecutionofsodifficultataskorwhethertheCourtwould
possessthedegreeofcreditandauthoritytocarryoutitsjudgmentifitconflictedwith
theaccusationbroughtbytheLegislaturethepeoplesrepresentative.Inaddition,the
FramersbelievedtheCourtwastoosmallinnumber:Theawfuldiscretion,whicha
courtofimpeachmentsmustnecessarilyhave,todoomtohonorortoinfamythemost
confidentialandthemostdistinguishedcharactersofthecommunity,forbidsthe
commitmentofthetrusttoasmallnumberofpersons.
Judicialinvolvementinimpeachmentproceedings,evenifonlyforpurposesofjudicial
review,iscounterintuitivebecauseitwouldevisceratetheimportantconstitutional
checkplacedontheJudiciarybytheFramers.Seeid.,No.81,at545.Nixonsargument
wouldplacefinalreviewingauthoritywithrespecttoimpeachmentsinthehandsofthe
samebodythattheimpeachmentprocessismeanttoregulate.
Thefirstsafeguardisthatthewholeoftheimpeachmentpowerisdividedbetweenthe
twolegislativebodies,withtheHousegiventherighttoaccuseandtheSenategiventhe
righttojudge.Id.,No.66,at446.Thissplitofauthorityavoidstheinconvenienceof
makingthesamepersonsbothaccusersandjudges;andguardsagainstthedangerof
persecutionfromtheprevalencyofafactiousspiritineitherofthosebranches.The
secondsafeguardisthetwothirdssupermajorityvoterequirement.Hamiltonexplained
that[a]stheconcurrenceoftwothirdsofthesenatewillberequisitetoacondemnation,
thesecuritytoinnocence,fromthisadditionalcircumstance,willbeascompleteasitself
candesire.
TheCourtalsofoundthattheFramersintentionallyseparatedimpeachmenttrialsfrom
criminaltrialsinordertoavoidanappearanceofbiasandthatalackoffinalityand
difficultyinfashioningreliefcounselsagainstadjudicatingthematter.
Concurrence.
JusticeStevens.Themeaningofthewordssoleandtryarenotassignificantasthe
designationoftheimpeachmentpowertotheLegislativeBranch.
JusticesWhiteandBlackmun.Thematterisnotanonjusticiablepoliticalquestion.
NonethelesstheSenatefulfilleditsconstitutionalobligationtotryNixon.
JusticeSouter.Therearesituationsinwhichjudicialreviewofanimpeachmenttrial
wouldbeappropriate.