Texas deserves a selection process that rewards integrity, intelligence, education, preparation and even temperament. Photos: Were you 'seen' at United-Brook basketball game? Partisan Election (current system) Pros: Voters have a direct say in judges who decide cases that have a huge impact FEEDBACK: What is your view: Appoint judges or elect them? The record is mixed. Each court has nine judges and when comparing the texas Judicial system to other states only one other state has a similar high court system and no other state has as many high court judges. Double your gift when you give by 6 p.m. Thursday. Many prominent, fair-minded lawyers and politicians, including some sitting appellate judges, have sought change for a long time. In order for the selection of judges to be reformed we need to start by limiting the influence of money and partisan labels. Texas should keep the election, lose the partisan labels. O&r ~nFZsB5R3$D= +KnR)~tBn~'l%!Gv Like most everything else, the wisdom of the populace directly choosing those that will judge them is frequently debated. Here are some of the pros and cons of electing judges. The biggest advantage cited by proponents is that the public will presumably have more confidence in the court system if the judges are directly accountable to the people. Jp=oLH?cK-GeKV'J;1]{^ |cYhWYfZ Dan Patrick recently cited when expressing doubts about calls for reform. Judges also accept contributions from lawyers who could appear before their court. When judges are elected rather than appointed, they must appeal to the public. "It has not been modified seriously since 1891, so to an extent we're back in horse and buggy days. It is safe to say that election fraud can be stopped by voter fraud more than most things. Dream on. Such lawyers would be likely to serve in an appointed system, however. The goal of tort reform in texas, according to Attorney General Greg Abbott, has always been to create and maintain a fair, honest and predictable civil justice system that balances the rights of both plaintiffs and defendants. Pros and Cons of the Death Penalty Pros 1. t(tqT w7Q7#MP}Rg:yfQw%zas$mn"03(o6!5_LEq. RLMR0VXC:L[lGf bha3jRUfB+B";7|sW!z"9f+4S ] Being pro-plaintiff means that you are the party that initiates a suit in a court. Judges arent supposed to pre-judge cases; theyre supposed to hear the facts, read the law and rule accordingly, and without infusing their personal ideas and biases. Those who feel non-partisan ballots have no place in voting believe that lack of political parties means people have no meaningful information to go on if they dont already know of the judge and may even be less likely to vote for someone with a name that sounds ethnic. The amount of free press and name recognition associated with it is definitely a plus. "How many voters are smart enough to interpret legal decisions and judge the judges?" Thats a hard sale to make. Party affiliation is also not as irrelevant as the critics of the current system claim. On the other hand, electing judges can open the door to problems such as judicial activism and bribery. For starters, it's hard to understand why a judge from one party would have a different view than a judge from the other party on a criminal case or a civil lawsuit. I have not found anywhere that I can find the positions of the judges that are running this year.". Web3. Doing so will help you vote for who you think will be the best judge in your city or county. The initial term of office for the supreme court is ten years, while district court judges are elected to six-year terms. In fact, during election years, judges are more likely to hand down rulings are too harsh for the crime committed simply because they want to prove to the community that they are hard on crime. When comparing it to other states outside of Texas, it is different in many ways. Don't fret if you can't. We hope you share our vision of a legal system that works for all people by being accessible, fair, reliable, efficient, and accountable. Thanks for the information. The clean slate in 1988, was the rallying cry Texas physicians and a union of other business and professional groups used eight years ago when they decided to take back the supreme court. Even the Texas lawmakers who want to change the way the state selects judges are wary of taking that power away from voters. These critics contend judges are not recusing themselves enough when a campaign donor is involved in a court case before the judge. I'm Marysa, a busy mom of two girls, and our family lives in Upstate NY. Republicans often take a harsher view of criminals. Southeast Texas continues to see 'moderate' air quality, "Cocaine Bear" inspires R-rated collectible figures, Buna residence searched due to a 2021 missing person's case, Beaumont antique store owner opens new boutique, Chick-Fil-A location says anyone under age 16 must be accompanied. Appointing judges further perpetuates that belief. OHIO: All judges are selected in partisan elections for six-year terms. ]r7OZ,K[,N)&[[*p$a h&UWu/pqOr `>rND$g@uyW a`@| FkLV[Bk>2_.vWu`CJA*D`G65X6Nn#lmB!d{F2yH.oyV\\""/X#IUT@og3n$Q,WB+\g?ULL_]'_\W_WJ#Ny1C{yL=X5nFME? For years many citizens and government officials have fought to reform the system. WebJudges should be independent and should not have to run for election. 1900 S. Norfolk St., Suite 350, San Mateo, CA 94403 Could West Brook, United playoff game break Montagne Center attendance record? Commission members overwhelmingly support increasing judicial qualifications and placing monetary limits on elections. Additionally, who are we most likely to raise money from? w69"""eUFeyj@uf$}KxPg?>(JEz Q3E!8(-iOBEwk^7/!=t%[ When Judge Marion runs, she knows it's difficult for voters to learn about her. The judicial system has many pros and cons, but i believe that all government officials just want whats best for texas and its citizens. B0QjGgt2Wm)~DJ^$cdqvq- W84A! In the case of state court judges, for example, elected judges are far more variable in their sentencing than appointed judges, according to a new study. WebThe pros of electing judges in Texas are that it allows for more accountability and transparency in the judicial system. I also share my vegetarian recipes at www.thebusyvegetarian.com. The Death Penalty allows families that have been suffering some closure. If you can't name elected judges and certainly didn't donate to their campaigns, who do you think will have the most influence on them? But elections of public officials such as judges may have serious drawbacks. At least with the current system, voters get to have their say at the front end instead of settling for something on the back end - a chance to retain appointed judges. BUT FOR THE ELECTION I MAY NEVER BE APPOINTED. The first problem goes to the availability of information. The reality in judicial elections is that people know very little about the candidates. Even voters who make an honest effort to acquire information will find that the nature of the judicial system itself may be a roadblock. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Copyright 2012 - 2022 A Nation of Moms | All Rights Reserved, judges are more likely to rule in accordance with the popular opinion, Applications of Different Types of Probability Distribution, A Guide To Poverty And Politics In The US, 6 Health Benefits of Drinking Single Malt Scotch Whiskey, Does Your Roof Need To Be Replaced? The study, forthcoming in the American Economic Review, looks at how two kinds of selection systems for state court judges -- appointment by the head of the executive branch and election by popular vote -- influence their criminal sentencing decisions. 5 0 obj Texas judges use partisan election where judges are elected by the people. Having two high courts can lead to pros and cons, but when comparing to other states both courts allow us to see how each are able to reflect on a higher number of interests than would be possible if there were only a single high court. State Judicial Selection: A Discussion of the Pros and Cons of Various Selection Methods. He has understandable reason not to like those elections: His son, Ryan, was one of the Harris County judges voted out of office in 2016, part of the blue wave that continued into 2018. The lawyers who appear before us. That recognition doesnt often travel far down the ballot, and judges are elected largely on the basis of political party and whether they have melodious names. Right again; a Democratic lawyer. WebTexas is one of the only states that still holds partisan judicial elections. Critics suggest that though States may be unable to fully eliminate politics from the judicial section process, appointment methods see less bias and are better able to mitigate political influences. Describe the various courts found in the Texas justice system. Good judges support all of these systems, and good judges hate all of them. PRO/CON: Should judges in Texas be appointed or elected? That cynic would be correct. Candidates have to go out and gain the trust of the people. The reformers will have to convince them that people in places like Austin and Washington have a better idea of who ought to be on the bench than the voters themselves have. When elections dont use the same system across the board, it can become confusing and lead to discrepancies in how cases are handled at various levels of the government. The politics are more difficult, in some ways, than the proposed policy changes. Often, the best person loses to the person from the preferred political party. 5 Signs To Look For. You also have to pick a party. In large cities like Houston or Dallas, voters are confronted with long lists of judges at election time. All rights reserved. And while the timing is, indeed, interesting, Abbott's sincerity deserves the benefit of the doubt. If a Democrat is governor, what happens? WebI AM AN ELECTED JUDGE. If the judge has disappointed voters for whatever reason, voters can get rid of him. If the committee devises a new system If a primary election is held, it is not to narrow the candidates to one from each party. The Pay is Good. The five student learning outcomes that applied to the topics i discussed are, describe state and local political systems and their relationship to the government, demonstrate knowledge of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of texas government, analyze the state and local election process, analyze issues, policies, and political culture of texas, and lastly express oneself with precision and clarity, whether orally or in writing. The answer, theoretically, should be neither. Many citizens believe that the way we select our judges in texas needs to be reformed, while others believe it is good for texas and benefits the citizens. "You have to ask people for money. It seems like there should be a simple answer to that question, but there isn't. Seven states choose their judges in partisan elections at every level. That voter support is what Lt. Gov. "If you're voting because you saw that sign, or you saw that one candidate had more signs than the other, that is absolutely no indication of the qualifications of that individual for the bench," Marion says. Culver says that for years she has been getting information on candidates for judge through the grapevine. x]}[$@ssbqn<9*'_ d7u\.\1?9Toy]u;x(|cu*gO`9O~_~sz`O>9~qwzYr7t.+S/[k;yQ7K/gOwo\Ntc_^w8SNBh4O6;xWM{(^Bw])SvoSWeO6z6u0s3]KG* H>qNxm\}6c.LXYF.S_UL$n`+~:?jlA}E{g30L2E:/ajiU Ym7&FXzVmCY[(OUdRQi3RuPd_&[ [u:^(N~%iH1dah3uY-e34Hb {IPp?~O'tUDdTVVgB t &J9h(-SyQNB(Q2!$Api 1 u[[4DZ{&BQ6Xy>9P%(S!cI]"_i(=&^Jv:d8kI%H $Y U2yc0n#y&9g ]>p~} i`Cm>ei3hYam gk?aF@B7 Some critics argue elections create political biases which weaken judicial impartiality. /c-@T*?6{/h*aRBYsw\z31Gq8oxr,{S>;Tfy5F>4Wv #e/XmPE86a.#p/l$D12 R3`Z&53P/2h Wh"I"x(R1n`j'.%**=0BMh < EvvYJ'~n 3HJyOy(xFx):;HP 'z64HO. "As we've become an urbanized society that's changed and it's more difficult now to know who you're voting for or who's running for which office.". You have to do the work. Judges should be elected by the governor, and then every few years, voters can get a chance to keep that judge during election time. 1. "But when voter preferences in a district vary substantially, and the goal is for a judge to represent the ideology of their constituency, an election system may be better," she concludes in her paper. Judge Analysis: Voters elect Texas' judges. I believe that the selection of judges in texas should be reformed. Veterans Pension Benefits (Aid & Attendance). A cynic might observe that Abbott's ardent interest coincides with what looks like a pendulum swing from his Republican Party. WebOnly six states, including Texas, elect justices in a partisan race. There are any number of ways to pick good judges, bad judges and those not-quite-rare-enough WTF judges, and none of those selection methods is foolproof. Pros: Electing judges results in a judiciary that is more responsive to public concerns, less out of touch with what the people want. Electing judges allows the people of a given community to have a say in what kind of criminal justice system they want and what kind of priorities it should have. One of the more controversial aspects of the Texas judicial system is. WebRather than electing judicial officials, Texas should adopt a system of having a governor, or the Senate, appoint its judges, then every few years, voters sustain the right to retain those judges if they so desire. He still fights to make a change from his new position as a constitutional law professor. Phone: 650-931-2505 | Fax: 650-931-2506 One problem with elections is that many judges never need to run against an opponent. In a normal election, candidates in the races at the top for president, for governor and the like are usually well known to voters. WebThe Texas Judicial system is a puzzling topic to most citizens and has its pros and cons. Though this system might seem like an efficient way to fill the bench with capable judges, it is actually counter-productive in a state like Texas. She has done commercials and mailings, but says that only gives voters information about her, not her opponent. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. In theory, the concept of electing judges seems fair. Greg Abbott, a former judge who moved over to the executive branch years ago, and is trying to find an alternative to the partisan elections Texas employs to pick its jurists. Press and name recognition associated with it is definitely a plus court judges are elected rather appointed. The proposed policy changes irrelevant as the critics of the doubt election where judges are selected in elections... 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