judgesonmerit.org

According to an Associated Press report, judicial selection reform is on a lot of people’s minds.  “More than a half dozen states have either put questions relating to judicial selection to voters this year, or have legislatures planning to discuss the topic in 2009.”  This shows that people care about this issue and realize how important it is to ensure that we are using the best system to select our judges.

This isn’t a question that states answer once and for all, as the striking diversity of selection methods across the nation demonstrates.  The people should have the opportunity to reexamine the judicial selection system to make sure it is working to select the most qualified, fair and independent judges.

We want Pennsylvanians to have the opportunity to voice their opinions about how we choose our appellate judges.  A lot has changed since the people last had this opportunity forty years ago.  We believe it’s time to ask the people again — should we continue to elect our judges in expensive, partisan contests or should we use a different system that emphasizes qualifications, skill, experience and temperament?

It’s time to let the people decide.

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