judgesonmerit.org

Lynn Marks, Executive Director of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, above, gives the opening remarks.  Rep. Josh Shapiro is at her right and Sen. Jane Earll at her left.

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Before last year’s November elections, the Towanda Daily & Sunday Review explained why they don’t regularly endorse judicial candidates — they think the current judicial election system is flawed.

“Merit appointment, with state Senate confirmation, would be a better way to ensure the basic qualifications of appellate candidates. And it would ensure greater judicial independence by taking money out of the process.”

Prior to the November elections last year, the Philadelphia Inquirer published an editorial calling for merit selection, citing advertisements supporting Maureen Lally-Green purchased by a Virginia-based nonprofit which refused to disclose their funding sources.

Nearly a year ago, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Sen. Jeffrey Piccola‘s top goals for reform included merit selection.

“As it is, the issues that Sen. Piccola believes should be tackled all hold great promise. Chief among them for the Post-Gazette are:

Adopting a merit selection system to choose judges. Voters should have a role in approving an appointed panel’s selection eventually, but they often don’t bother to learn enough about the candidates to make an informed initial choice.”