Can we blame Andrew Jackson for the fact that many states elect their judges or at least force them to occasionally win a retention vote to keep their jobs? If so, add it to the list of reasons why we shouldn’t honor the seventh president.
We can’t take the politics out of judicial appointments, but we can at least give judges some independence to issue unpopular decisions once they’re on the court. The correct system is to appoint them for a set but lengthy term, and to only remove them for unethical behavior through the process of impeachment.
Constitutional principles and human rights are not always popular, especially when the masses are fearful. We need an independent judiciary, and elected judges are the dumbest goddamned thing I’ve ever heard of.
When judges are appointed, they are beholden to the political powers that be who appoint them, or reappoint them. So I don’t know if appointing solves that much.
It doesn’t eliminate the influence factor, but at least it takes the money out of it. John Oliver did a scathing show about this at some point in the last year. Money and judges is a bad combination.
Elected judges are a half measure.
Appellate, at least, judges should be chosen at random from the voter rolls, just like juries — except no voir dite.
This guarantees no influence in their selection, and that the authentic voice of the people will be heard from the appellate bench.
Power to the people!
Amen. Also whenever some clown complains about constitutional issues being decided by “a committee of nine unelected lawyers”, he should be laughed out of town. What kind of fool would have such ignorance of and contempt for the history of American jurisprudence? Oh, right.
Professional judges.
http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/06/what-america-can-learn-from-germanys-justice-sys
tem/258208/
By the way, the ads that accompanied that post on my computer were both for judicial candidates.
If there wasn’t an election, we (in Wisconsin) would be stuck with the horrible judges that Scott Walker has appointed. The one up for election on Tuesday is particularly disgusting. She’ll probably win, since Republicans usually do in Wisconsin, but at least the voters get a shot.
Just to give you an idea of who gets appointed to serve on the Supreme Court in Wisconsin these days:
http://onewisconsinnow.org/press/rebecca-bradleys-published-writings-reveal-opinions-that-cross-line
-into-hate-speech/
Judges should never be elected?
Yes.
Neither should most politicians.
Elect better politicians and you will get better judges.
How to elect better politicians?
Aye, there’s the rub.
My own take?
Eliminate corporate intervention in terms of “donations.”
Donations…better know as “bribes.”
Also eliminate the major cost of running a campaign, which is of course advertising.
However…bought and paid-for, corporate owned politicians would need to be the ones who enacted such laws under our current system.
Oh well.
Sigh.
Nevermind.
Yore freind…
Emily “Catch 22” Litella
Hey! We agree on something!
I just don’t believe anyone who says he/she researched 100+ judges in Cook County.
Although it’s a dirty word, bureaucracy is much more effective at running local governments. Speaking as a relatively informed voter, I have NFI who the elected judges are or what they stand for.