Supreme Court Elders

ABC's "This Week" recently showed an interview with Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer, in which Breyer noted that he will be turning 78 by the time the next president is sworn in. It has been brought to attention that aside from himself, four of Breyer's colleagues are well over 75 years old and three are over the age of 80. It makes sense for the members of the Court to be more elderly, because appointments can be for a lifetime (usually 16 years). Breyer also explained that the job must be performed by people with an "ongoing ability to engage in the complicated work" and that experience is needed. Court members' ages are important, because they suggest that the next president will probably get to appoint multiple new members to the Court. Members of the Supreme Court rarely retire in groups, which is what makes this occurrence so interesting. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/12/27/so-there-are-going-to-be-a-lot-of-people-older-than-75-on-the-supreme-court-in-2017/