Address
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States · John Bouvier · 1839
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States
In Pennsylvania it is a resolution of both branches of the legislature, two-thirds of each house concurring, requesting the governor to remove a judge from office. The constitution of that state, art.
5, s.
2, directs that "for any reasonable cause, which shall not be sufficient ground for impeachment, the governor may remove any of them [the judges], on the address of two-thirds of each branch of the legislature." This power is unknown to the constitution of the United States, but it is recognized in those of thirteen of the respective states. In some of these constitutions the language is imperative; the governor when thus addressed shall remove; in others it is left to his discretion, he may remove. The relative proportion of each house that must join in the address, varies also in different states. In some a bare majority is sufficient; in others, two-thirds are requisite; and in others three-fourths.
1 Journ. of Law, 154.