« Oh New York City you talk a lot. | Main
October 26, 2011
Why are Americans still Popularly Electing State Judges?
Our short version for the rabble. Are we just hopelessly third-rate and classless? Nuts? Or too lazy to get the state legislatures to change? Popular election judiciary schemes are bad for good business clients--and their lawyers. And they send bad-smelling messages to all clients, all Americans, and the entire world about the nature of justice in America: (1) Judges have "constituents"; and (2) Justice here is "for sale". But 39 states still keep these systems in place. Why not reinstate a few witchcraft laws? Bring back debtors prisons? Ordeal by water (my personal Gothic favorite), maybe? Do see "Choose Judges on Merit", a site by our favorite sane voice in the changing wilderness, Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts. Man. Like, dudes, get the net.
.jpg)
Posted by JD Hull at October 26, 2011 11:59 PM
Comments
Thanks for the kind words and for your support of our reform efforts. The more people hear about the problems inherent in electing judges, the more they are willing to support reform. We need the legislature to put this on the ballot and let Pennsylvanians decide if they want to find a better way to select appellate court judges.
Posted by: Shira Goodman at October 17, 2011 01:48 PM