Supreme Court justices serve for life primarily to ensure their independence from political pressures. The U.S. Constitution states that federal judges hold their offices "during good behavior," which has been interpreted as a lifetime appointment unless a justice resigns, retires, or is impeached and removed. This life tenure allows justices to make decisions based solely on the law and their interpretation of the Constitution, without fearing removal due to unpopular rulings or political backlash. It was designed by the Founding Fathers to protect the judiciary from influence by the executive and legislative branches, allowing the Court to act as a fair check in the system of government. This system also insulates justices from the temporary passions of public opinion or political tides, enabling more consistent and principled judicial decisions. Although lifetime appointments protect judicial independence, there is ongoing debate over the appropriateness of this system due to increased lifespans and long tenures, but its original intent was to secure an impartial judiciary free from electoral or political concerns.