Page "United States district court" Paragraph 7

With the exception of the territorial courts ( Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands ), federal district judges are Article III judges appointed for life, and can be removed involuntarily only when they violate the standard of " good behavior.

" The sole method of involuntary removal of a judge is through impeachment by the United States House of Representatives followed by a trial in the United States Senate and a conviction by a two-thirds vote.

Otherwise, a judge, even if convicted of a felony criminal offense by a jury, is entitled to hold office until retirement or death.

In the history of the United States, only twelve judges have been impeached by the House, and only seven have been removed following conviction in the Senate.

( For a table that includes the twelve impeached judges, see Impeachment in the United States.