That member of the Supreme Court who is in charge of court administration and proceedings and presides over both public and private meetings of the Court. Like other members of the Court, the chief justice is appointed to that position by the president upon good behavior (for a life term unless impeached for high crimes or misdeameanors). The chief justice assigns who on the court is to write the opinion if the chief is in the majority and presides over an impeachment trial of the president in the Senate.