Federal Judge's Competency Challenged Amid Probe and Paranoid Incidents

Judge Pauline Newman, a 95-year-old US federal appeals judge, is facing a competency investigation after being unable to complete simple tasks independently and threatening a staffer with arrest, according to witness reports. The US Federal Circuit Court of Appeals has ordered her to undergo a neurological evaluation and neuropsychological testing, with a Friday deadline to say whether she will comply. Newman last week sued in district court to halt or transfer the investigation, alleging constitutional violations.