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An article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review explores how the Caperton decision is motivating discussion and dialouge in Pennsylvania.  According to Pennsylvania Chief Justice Ronald Castille , the decision “raises questions for an elected judiciary.”  He noted that Pennsylvania judgesand justices will need to explore whether recusal rules need to be rewritten.

But the issues go deeper than that.  People in Pennsylvania are seriously talking about bigger changes, incuding changing the way we select appellate court judges.  PMC Executive Director Lynn Marks explained, “‘[The Caperton decision] puts the issue of merit selection squarely on the radar screen of important issues for Pennsylvania to tackle.’”

State Representative Matt Smith, sponsor of the recently introduced Merit Selection legislation, concurred and noted that the United States’ Supreme Court’s Caperton decision is making some legislators turn to Merit Selection as the answer: “‘Even people who said as recently as a year ago they opposed this, now those folks see the need to eliminate money and politics from the process.’”  The best way to do that is Merit Selection.

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