In a thorough ruling last Friday, federal district judge James D. Peterson (for what it’s worth, an Obama appointee) granted summary judgment against Wisconsin supreme court justice Shirley S. Abrahamson’s brazen claim that she was entitled under the federal Constitution to remain the state’s chief justice.

Judge Peterson ruled, among other things, that the constitutional amendment adopted by Wisconsin voters in April—which altered the method of determining the chief justice—was not impermissibly retroactive and that the amendment process afforded Abrahamson all the process that might be due. (Even as he cast serious doubt on the assumption, Peterson assumed, for the sake of argument, that Abrahamson had a property interest in the position of chief justice.)