Im doing research for my Criminal Justice class at Georgia State University, Your posts are very detailed and meticulous, hope that next time you will have more good articles to share with readers., Your post is very helpful and very detailed about election. She also urges voters not to be swayed by yard signs. Elections ensure that judges are accountable to the people. --------------------------------------------------------. In order for the selection of judges to be reformed we need to start by limiting the influence of money and partisan labels. Shes been a judge for 26 years, and shes had to run for office several times. 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. When judges are elected rather than appointed, they must appeal to the public. Many people feel that judges and other government officials are in the pockets of large corporations. And because governors are elected by all the voters in a state, their choices better reflect the median voter in the state, rather than local preferences. Scott says. 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. Judges are appointed, usually by the governor. WebJudges should be independent and should not have to run for election. Lim points out that governors have an advantage when appointing judges because they are likely to have more accurate information about the political preferences and sentencing approaches of a candidate than is generally available to voters during a campaign. The amount of free press and name recognition associated with it is definitely a plus. Find their verified websites and social media accounts, read past news stories, and learn where they stand on the issues that are important to you. It has some support from Gov. Amplify your impact and donate now. Thanks, I honestly support the idea of voting for judges. Welcome to A Nation of Moms! WebSince the Judicial College is mostly focused on training those from the lower courts, this means that training for judges within the higher echelons of the judiciary such as the High Court (for example) is not compulsory. 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. The Pay is Good. Elected judges rely on being liked by the people to remain in office, and sometimes that pressure to be liked is reflected in their court decisions. 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. Discuss the pros and cons of electing judges in Texas. Additionally, many also feel there isnt enough separation between the branches of government and that checks and balances do not work correctly. ]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? 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? Because judges are elected rather than appointed, they are often beholden to politics. His interest in this issueis not new. Throughout the years pro-plaintiff versus pro-defendant has changed since 1988. "Long" as in decades. 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. Perhaps that biggest problem with electing judges is that not all elections are the same. In addition, elected judges do not appear less independent than appointed judges. Texas should keep the election, lose the partisan labels. Some judges find the election process daunting, as well. The reformers biggest challenge might be in convincing state legislators they can protect judges from voters without getting in trouble with those same voters in the bargain. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. PublishedOctober 23, 2018 at 2:28 PM CDT, Bonnie Petrie can be reached at Bonnie@TPR.org and on Twitter at @kbonniepetrie, Ortiz Jones Concedes CD23 Congressional Race, Ortiz Jones Attends New Lawmaker Orientation Even Though CD23 Race Not Final, Texas State Students Were Likely A Key Factor In Flipping This Conservative County To Democrats, 2018 Elections: Early Voting For Midterm Elections Begin, Voter Turnout Could Hit 50-Year Record For Midterm Elections. "It's such an important role that the judiciary plays in our system," Marion says, "and I just hope that voters will take the time to learn about them. Thanks for sharing the details. Jp=oLH?cK-GeKV'J;1]{^ |cYhWYfZ WebPros And Cons Of The Texas Judicial System 800 Words4 Pages Ideally, being able to elect judges seems like a fair concept. The lawyers who appear before us. 5 0 obj Additionally, it gives voters a say in who they want to preside over their cases. 2. Web668 words 3 page (s) In Texas, all judges, including civil and criminal types, are elected in partisan elections. 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. That's right, a GOP lawyer. 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 initial term of office for the supreme court is ten years, while district court judges are elected to six-year terms. Both parties present a field candidate and the Patsy Culver, a CPA and artist in Alpine, asks: My question is: Texas is fairly unique in that we elect our judges. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. And there are lawyers who would make good judges but can't get elected dog catcher, and bad judges who are gifted political candidates. When Judge Marion runs, she knows it's difficult for voters to learn about her. Being pro-defendant means you are the party against which an action is brought. % 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. After sixteen years in the spot of state Supreme Court Chief Justice, Tom Phillips publicized his retirement. Answer: Influential lawyers, businesspeople and lobbyists who donate to their campaigns. stream When Judge Marion runs, she knows it's difficult for voters to learn about her. But Abbott is a lawyer who used to be a district judge and Texas Supreme Court justice. 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. As in states like Texas, where judges are elected like everyone else, thats subject to outside influence by political donors and interest groups hoping to influence the direction of the courts, if not the outcomes of specific cases. Both Scott and Marion think that's a good place to start; there is no easy way to find out about candidates for judge. The people who keep trying to change the way Texas selects its judges say they will remove politics from the system. Democrats are often more sensitive to social issues. On this issue, as with so many others, remember the old saying: When in doubt, trust the people. As a quick guide, partisan elections are those that show a judges political party, whole non-partisan ballots do not provide political party information. September 16, 2012. But the effort has grown legs lately in no small part because Gov. Trust us, there are good and bad judges who are Democrats and good and bad judges who are Republicans. "People see competition as good, but I look at the way incentives are determined so I can see when it is effective in a particular situation," explains political economist Claire Lim, assistant professor of economics and the Sheng-Larkin Sesquicentennial Faculty Fellow. In 1988 there were three justices on the ballot each year, on a nine justice court, but because of officials stepping down there were six races for the supreme court on the ballot during this year. Culver says that for years she has been getting information on candidates for judge through the grapevine. Judge Additionally, who are we most likely to raise money from? All rights reserved. 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. Many say that the law is non-partisan and judges should be too. uGF3v?._?G/v>\`9 ?t>[dY_ZS3NU!T#F;=?) Others argue elections provide a way for the people to hold judges accountable and that the key to keeping courts fair and impartial is by educating the public.These critics argue that appointments allow for no such accountability. Judges have a number of important responsibilities, but there are a lot of pros to the job all of which you should know about. Whats more, its potentially risky for a legislator to cross the voters that way without some very clear signal that the voters want to make the change, to give up the power to choose judges. 1. One problem with elections is that many judges never need to run against an opponent. WebThe partisan election of Texas' judges is a potential disadvantage since the candidates can easily be persuaded by money to choose a party. Lim points out that public critique during a campaign is a disincentive to lawyers to seek office; this can result in the best candidate for a judgeship declining to compete for the position. Law Office of Gretchen J. 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