3 ms·

There are a lot of judges in the US, very few voters pay any attention to them and just re-elect whoever, many aren't elected in the first place, and there are

There are a lot of judges in the US, very few voters pay any attention to them and just re-elect whoever, many aren't elected in the first place, and there are rarely any standards for who is or is not eligible to sit on the bench. Many counties and small towns are very corrupt (in a captured-by-a-family-or-two-and-their-pals kind of way) with the result that lots of local officials are at best terrible at their jobs, and at worst are actively breaking the law. All kinds of bad conduct happens at that level, most of it never making the news at all.

cogman10 3y ago
One thing I'll add, this is also a symptom of the death of local journalism. Even for decently populated areas, there's simply very little access to journalism covering things like local candidates. All news has become national. Local news broadcasts have pretty much died, all purchased by the sinclair broadcasting group. Just try and get information on someone running for a city level offices. It's hard enough for officials with public meetings. But judges?
- btilly 3y ago
  I have found that the League of Woman Voters often provides voter guides where you can read about every local candidate. Their positions, their website, answers to questions, and so on. For judges in California, that generally includes a review about how well qualified they are. I've found that very helpful in past elections for making decisions on local candidates. Which are the ones where my vote is most likely to make a difference. But which would otherwise be impossible for me to inform myself on.
- lazide 3y ago
  Death of local news makes it worse, but this has always been an issue. Like literally since before the revolutionary war type ‘always’, and certainly long before that too. Means of control get hijacked by bad actors until they screw up bad enough they can’t be ignored, to be replaced by… someone. Who is not such an obvious bad actor. Sometimes they’re even good! For awhile, anyway.
neaden 3y ago
I live in Cook County Illinois and have to vote up and down on a fairly absurd number of judges, I think last time was around 60. My wife and I usually try to split it up and each research half, and it still takes a pretty decent chunk of time, definitely more then I spend on figuring out who I will vote for in all other elections combined.
- pc86 3y ago
  I got married in Cook County. My apologies.
sidewndr46 3y ago
It isn't "many". The de-facto assumption should be a small government entity is corrupt. Anything else is an unreasonable assumption.
pc86 3y ago
The fact that we're electing judges at all is insane. Elections are by definition partisan things, even when you don't list party. I've lived in states with "non-partisan" judge elections, and anyone remotely connected to a political party knows who is what and just votes that way. Yeah it prevents someone from just pulling a straight-ticket lever in the booth without doing any research but that's about it. Your average voter has absolutely no business deciding the quality of someone's legal education, scholarship, etc. Hell one state I lived in most of the "judges" handling minor offenses like traffic tickets and small claims court had never been to law school, never served in any criminal justice role, they just ran for the seat and got it. It's a joke. Appointing judges has its own host of problems but at least then you'll get people who are on the surface qualified to read, understand, and interpret the law.
- function_seven 3y ago
  No disagreement here about the failings of elected judges, but if partisanship is something to be avoided, then having appointed judges can often be just as bad. The politician doing the appointments will surely pick judges that align with their party's ideals. In the best case, when the executive and the legislature are in opposition—and appointments must clear both branches—then you have opposing forces that hopefully weed out the most partisan of judges. My proposal is to have candidate judges throw their name on a list. Whenever a spot needs filling, then each of 3 committees makes their selections from that list. Those 3 committees would be (1) current judges, (2) prosecutors, and (3) defense attorneys. Only if a majority of each group blesses a candidate, would that candidate be eligible for appointment by the governor.
- yndoendo 3y ago
  I would argue the ability to elect judges by constitutes is the only means to work around gerrymandering. The people are then allowed to override the legislative branch.
- Amezarak 3y ago
  Electing judges does not preclude having legal requirements for running or holding the position. I’d wager more states have requirements like “must have practiced law in state x for y years” than not. Mine does. Going into this judge’s background, she was originally appointed a Family Master before becoming a judge, so evidently the wisdom of appointments did not save people from her either. Edit: are we sure this is an elected position in WV? I am looking at the county elections and don’t see judges listed on the results or ballot. Her replacement was appointed by the governor with no mention of it being interim u til an election. Edit2: they are indeed elected, with eight year terms, which is why I did not see it. But the judge in question was again someone previously appointed to a family master position and then elected - and family master would definitely be prior qualification. Additionally these judges in WV must be a member on good standing with the bar and have a minimum of five years practicing law in WV.

cogman10 3y ago

One thing I'll add, this is also a symptom of the death of local journalism. Even for decently populated areas, there's simply very little access to journalism covering things like local candidates. All news has become national. Local news broadcasts have pretty much died, all purchased by the sinclair broadcasting group. Just try and get information on someone running for a city level offices. It's hard enough for officials with public meetings. But judges?

btilly 3y ago
I have found that the League of Woman Voters often provides voter guides where you can read about every local candidate. Their positions, their website, answers to questions, and so on. For judges in California, that generally includes a review about how well qualified they are. I've found that very helpful in past elections for making decisions on local candidates. Which are the ones where my vote is most likely to make a difference. But which would otherwise be impossible for me to inform myself on.
lazide 3y ago
Death of local news makes it worse, but this has always been an issue. Like literally since before the revolutionary war type ‘always’, and certainly long before that too. Means of control get hijacked by bad actors until they screw up bad enough they can’t be ignored, to be replaced by… someone. Who is not such an obvious bad actor. Sometimes they’re even good! For awhile, anyway.

neaden 3y ago

I live in Cook County Illinois and have to vote up and down on a fairly absurd number of judges, I think last time was around 60. My wife and I usually try to split it up and each research half, and it still takes a pretty decent chunk of time, definitely more then I spend on figuring out who I will vote for in all other elections combined.

pc86 3y ago
I got married in Cook County. My apologies.

sidewndr46 3y ago

It isn't "many". The de-facto assumption should be a small government entity is corrupt. Anything else is an unreasonable assumption.

pc86 3y ago

The fact that we're electing judges at all is insane. Elections are by definition partisan things, even when you don't list party. I've lived in states with "non-partisan" judge elections, and anyone remotely connected to a political party knows who is what and just votes that way. Yeah it prevents someone from just pulling a straight-ticket lever in the booth without doing any research but that's about it. Your average voter has absolutely no business deciding the quality of someone's legal education, scholarship, etc. Hell one state I lived in most of the "judges" handling minor offenses like traffic tickets and small claims court had never been to law school, never served in any criminal justice role, they just ran for the seat and got it. It's a joke. Appointing judges has its own host of problems but at least then you'll get people who are on the surface qualified to read, understand, and interpret the law.

function_seven 3y ago
No disagreement here about the failings of elected judges, but if partisanship is something to be avoided, then having appointed judges can often be just as bad. The politician doing the appointments will surely pick judges that align with their party's ideals. In the best case, when the executive and the legislature are in opposition—and appointments must clear both branches—then you have opposing forces that hopefully weed out the most partisan of judges. My proposal is to have candidate judges throw their name on a list. Whenever a spot needs filling, then each of 3 committees makes their selections from that list. Those 3 committees would be (1) current judges, (2) prosecutors, and (3) defense attorneys. Only if a majority of each group blesses a candidate, would that candidate be eligible for appointment by the governor.
yndoendo 3y ago
I would argue the ability to elect judges by constitutes is the only means to work around gerrymandering. The people are then allowed to override the legislative branch.
Amezarak 3y ago
Electing judges does not preclude having legal requirements for running or holding the position. I’d wager more states have requirements like “must have practiced law in state x for y years” than not. Mine does. Going into this judge’s background, she was originally appointed a Family Master before becoming a judge, so evidently the wisdom of appointments did not save people from her either. Edit: are we sure this is an elected position in WV? I am looking at the county elections and don’t see judges listed on the results or ballot. Her replacement was appointed by the governor with no mention of it being interim u til an election. Edit2: they are indeed elected, with eight year terms, which is why I did not see it. But the judge in question was again someone previously appointed to a family master position and then elected - and family master would definitely be prior qualification. Additionally these judges in WV must be a member on good standing with the bar and have a minimum of five years practicing law in WV.