judgesonmerit.org

An editorial in the Knoxville News Sentinel urges Tennessee to keep using Merit Selection.  While acknowledging that the system could be amended somewhat to improve transparency and increase public input, the editorial argues that moving to judicial elections would be a serious mistake:

Judges are not legislators. Running for office statewide puts them in the position of having to raise money for elections – and allegiance to big-time donors perverts the ends, if not the means, of justice.

A recent Supreme Court election in Alabama cost $5 million, and a similar race in Illinois five years ago exceeded $9 million.

Imagine a statewide judicial election in Tennessee on that monetary scale. A judge winning such a contest will not create a constituency but obligations that will haunt him or her on the bench. Judges’ constituencies should be the law, reflected in the books on their shelves and their years of study and experience.

We agree, and share the concerns about the role of money in judicial elections. Of course, we’re in good company, as recent polls show the vast majority of the American public is concerned about the effect of campaign contributions on judicial decision-making.

The editorial closes by citing retired United States Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor: “‘Justice is a lot like friendship; if you have to pay for it, it’s not worth much.’”  That pretty much sums up one of the best reasons to choose Merit Selection.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS