Take Justice Off the Ballot - Sandra Day O'Connor

[groovedaddy]

ALTHOUGH our attention as a nation is focused on the selection of a new justice to the Supreme Court, another judicial process that is also extremely important is happening across the country: the selection of state court judges. But in too many states, citizens are being shortchanged by the way these judges are chosen.

Each state has its own method of choosing judges, from lifetime appointments to partisan elections. But judges with a lifetime appointment are not accountable to voters. And elected judges are susceptible to influence by political or ideological constituencies.

A better system is one that strikes a balance between lifetime appointment and partisan election by providing for the open, public nomination and appointment of judges, followed in due course by a standardized judicial performance evaluation and, finally, a yes/no vote in which citizens either approve the judge or vote him out. This kind of merit selection system — now used in some form in two-thirds of states — protects the impartiality of the judiciary without sacrificing accountability.

State courts resolve the most important legal matters in our lives, including child custody cases, settlement of estates, business-contract disputes, traffic offenses, drunken-driving charges, most criminal offenses and most foreclosures. More than 100 million cases are filed in state courts each year.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/opinion/23oconnor.html?th&emc=th

[rfranklin]

1. Nice...this coming from the woman who helped appoint Bush Junior...

based on no precedent and setting no precedent. Neat trick that!

[liberal N proud]

2. The average voter does not have a clue about Judges

Most would vote party line, but judges are not allowed to affiliate their campaign with any party. People just pick a name that sounds familiar or some other wacko perception when they vote for Judge.

If you are not informed about Judges who are on the ballot going into the poll, you are just playing ballot roulette.

[groovedaddy]

3. I have by-passed judicial races for just that reason. If I don't know, I'm not going to cast a vote

That said, I do try to inform myself before hand. Talking to attorneys who practice in the same area of law (and geographically)as a judicial candidate can prove enlightening.

[Pyrzqxgl]

4. Well it might be good if you took some time to find out.

For instance a right wing wacko group in San Diego has put up a slate of their own
against every more or less liberal in our area. This is being done in other areas
where liberal judges are being targeted by the right.

[groovedaddy]

6. Normally, I do. There have been a few times when I walked into the voting booth and didn't know

a particular judicial race was on the ballot. In those cases, I will not cast a vote without knowing anything about any of the candidates.

[keopeli]

5. Sorry, Sandra. I stopped paying attention to you after Bush v. Gore.

Maybe you have a point, I don't know and I don't care. I don't trust you. If you feel strongly about this, I suggest you find someone with credibility to make the case for you. Meanwhile, shouldn't you be taking care of your husband who's ill and needs your full attention? Why don't you get back to that and leave us alone. We've had enough of you already.