judgesonmerit.org

Two major Pennsylvania newspapers today featured editorials inspired by the Caperton decision, and both argued for replacing judicial elections with Merit Selection.  The Philadelphia Inquirer offers this stinging assessment of judicial elections:

The river of money that sloshes through campaigns to elect judges in Pennsylvania and Philadelphia has long raised questions about the quality of justice and one’s ability to remain impartial – especially when a big donor is party to a case. . . .

The whole process stinks and does little to bolster the quality of judges, while undermining public confidence in the judiciary.

That’s why the Supreme Court decision offers the best justification yet to reform the way Pennsylvanians select judges.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s editorial is equally critical of judicial elections:

The final note of depression is that this case flows from a system that makes no real sense and shows no sign of changing — the election of judges. As long as money is exchanged to support judicial candidates, the potential for bias will be there, no matter how little or extraordinary the sum.

This is a key point: even in cases involving parties or attorneys who made less eye-popping contributions to the judge’s campaign, the potential exists for bias or at least the perception that the playing field is not level.  No one should be worrying in court whether the opposing party or counsel contributed to the judge’s campaign.  The solution is clear: Merit Selection gets judges out of the fundraising business.

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