It's the last stretch of summer.
And elections are coming up.
It's brings up the age old questions about whether judges should be elected or appointed.
There's really no good answer.
But when you look at some of the challengers to our good judges, it looks like appointment may be the better option.
Check out the Captain's post about the challenger to a really good judge -- Lody Jean.
Hard to imagine that the challenger will win, but in a judicial race, anything is possible.
On the other end of the spectrum, Justice Jackson is gearing up for her first term in October.
Here's Empirical SCOTUS with a preview:
The overall picture from these data conform more to the picture painted by the JCS Scores than to that painted by the campaign finance scores. The picture is of a liberal judge, not as liberal as Justice Sotomayor, and more likely a moderate with a similar ideological position to that of Justice Kagan. Even though we lack complete information on which to formulate accurate predictions of how future justices will vote when on the Court, this more refined way of viewing Brown Jackson’s lower court record should give a more complete picture than other available methods.
Anyway, we have a few weeks left until school starts. Let's enjoy the last few weeks of summer.
3 comments:
Appointment would be far worse. Look at the Florida Supreme Court. Look at the DCA's.
Twenty years ago, with impartial, balanced judicial nominating commissions, appointment was
superior to election. Today, not so much. We have appointed trial judges who never tried a case, appellate judges who never handled an appeal, and Supreme court justices...Do you really think that Renata Francis has the background and experience to sit in a seat held by Gerald
Kogan, Rosemary Barkett, Fred Lewis or Barbara Pariente? All were experienced lawyers at the top of their game(regardless of political affiliation).
As for Circuit and County judges, I am opposed to electing them but not as much as I am opposed to appointing them. Circuit and especially county judges come into contact with the public every day and not in a friendly way. it is important that they have a lay of the land so to speak. Electing them at least gives the apperaance of fairness. As for appellate judges, different standard. If the public does not like the ideological slant of the judiciary, elect more Democrats to be governor.
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