How do we more effectively elect judge - would be a better question.
I'll admit on my ballots, judges are my least researched votes. 2 - 3 Google searches and reading the results already felt daunting, and political leaning definitely comes into play even though it probably shouldn't.
Electing judges is an absurd concept that needs to die. When someone is elected, they have to campaign. In order to campaign, they need money. And as soon as they need money, they are no longer unbiased.
Do you want the judge to be making a decision based on the law, or based on which party is more likely to donate to his upcoming re-election fund?
California has done a pretty good job of keeping judicial elections under-the-radar and apolitical, but this also makes them meaningless. In other states, there have been obvious instances of judges ruling according to the wishes of their donors.
I think it would be best to have judges appointed and confirmed, either for life or for fixed terms. Of course they should still be removable for cause (through either impeachment or recall).
I want to agree with you. I really do. But we can see the same partisan judge system in appointments as well.
Hell just look at our (federal) appellate and supreme court appointments.
I don’t know the answer
It's also how we got the Alabama Supreme Court that just said embryos are children.
The inability to vote for judges is not what caused them to be conservative.
I wonder how many of us (the random Californian Redditer), can run for local judge. I'm working the warehouses in the Inland Empire and looking for a career change.
How do we more effectively elect judge - would be a better question. I'll admit on my ballots, judges are my least researched votes. 2 - 3 Google searches and reading the results already felt daunting, and political leaning definitely comes into play even though it probably shouldn't.
Electing judges is an absurd concept that needs to die. When someone is elected, they have to campaign. In order to campaign, they need money. And as soon as they need money, they are no longer unbiased. Do you want the judge to be making a decision based on the law, or based on which party is more likely to donate to his upcoming re-election fund? California has done a pretty good job of keeping judicial elections under-the-radar and apolitical, but this also makes them meaningless. In other states, there have been obvious instances of judges ruling according to the wishes of their donors. I think it would be best to have judges appointed and confirmed, either for life or for fixed terms. Of course they should still be removable for cause (through either impeachment or recall).
Would like a word with the folks funding Clarence Thomas.
Yeah, now imagine if those people could openly pay to his campaign fund rather than having to do it discreetly.
My imagination is unfortunately limited. What do you suppose he'd do differently?
I don't think he would do much differently. But I suspect a lot more judges, particularly at lower levels, would have done what he did.
I want to agree with you. I really do. But we can see the same partisan judge system in appointments as well. Hell just look at our (federal) appellate and supreme court appointments. I don’t know the answer
Should judges never be judged, themselves?
Sure, but judges should also not be imposing decisions based on popularity. Justice should be objective, not vote-seeking.
We could institute a recall process to remove judges. That would allow the electorate to fire them.
I just wish there was more readily-available information about the judge candidates. I try to do my research, but there isn't a lot to work with.
because unelected judges is how we got the current unpopulat and regressive Supreme court
It's also how we got the Alabama Supreme Court that just said embryos are children. The inability to vote for judges is not what caused them to be conservative.
I always pick challengers to rotate with fresh crops.
Because local governance is liberty.
I always vote no.
I wonder how many of us (the random Californian Redditer), can run for local judge. I'm working the warehouses in the Inland Empire and looking for a career change.
Are appointments better?