judgesonmerit.org

As the campaign for Merit Selection progresses, we hear some inaccurate arguments repeated by those who oppose Merit Selection. In an effort to set the record straight, we’ll reveal the truth and clear up these myths.

Myth #3 Merit Selection is Just Like the Process We Use to Fill Interim Court Vacancies

The interim appointment process — how vacancies are filled on courts between elections — is part and parcel of the electoral process. It is nothing like Merit Selection.

Currently, we have four vacancies on our appellate courts — one on the Supreme Court, one on the Commonwealth Court and two on the Superior Court. Filling these vacancies requires nomination by the Governor and confirmation by the Senate. And one more thing — a promise by the candidates not to run for full terms on these courts in the next elections. This is because the process is designed to prevent one political party from getting an advantage over the other in the next election. It’s not designed to get the most qualified people on the bench as quickly as possible.

The interim appointment process does not require screening by an independent citizens nominating commission. Merit Selection does. The interim appointment process does not give the people an opportunity to evaluate how a judge did during an initial term. Merit Selection gives the people this chance through the retention process.

The interim appointment process is inextricably tied to the electoral system. Merit Selection is a different way of picking appellate court judges.

Keep visiting JudgesOnMerit.org to learn the truth about Merit Selection.

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