Judges … should not be dependent upon any man or body of men. To these ends they should hold estates for life in their offices, or, in other words, their commissions should be during good behavior, and their salaries ascertained and established by law.

—John Adams. Thoughts on Government, 1776.

To ensure that judges are independent, tenure should be granted subject to good behavior.

This article is an extract from the book ‘Principles of Good Government’ by Matthew Bransgrove