5 ms·

Remember that a degree is only a credential, and people without the credential can still be good at their job. What you need to be a judge is knowledge, not a c

by db48x 2y ago

Remember that a degree is only a credential, and people without the credential can still be good at their job. What you need to be a judge is knowledge, not a credential.

Vilian 2y ago
It's because this type that anti-intelectualism that make USA justice system seems like a circus, and the best clown, the one that convince the public win
ddtaylor 2y ago
The Bar exam is supposed to be a legal litmus test of some kind
- db48x 2y ago
  A lot of court functions don’t involve lawyers at all. Small Claims courts, traffic courts, etc, etc. States that allow judges without a law degree are using them in these courts.
  - ddtaylor 2y ago
    Small claims courts, traffic courts and every other area of the legal apparatus should not be wield by potentially incompetent people. We already have enough problems with these swords when being held by competent people.
mcherm 2y ago
> people without the credential can still be good at their job Yes, and some can be very bad at their job. The goal of requiring one to pass a bar exam in order to practice law is to minimize the number of practicioners who are horribly incompetent, because of the serious damage it can do. It seems to me that a judge who doesn't know how the law works can do even MORE severe damage.
- db48x 2y ago
  That’s a fair opinion, but 28 out of 50 states voted otherwise. If you want to change that then talk to your state’s congresscritters. Just remember that there are plenty of terrible lawyers out there who did pass the bar, and plenty of terrible judges who were once terrible lawyers. A degree is ultimately just a piece of paper (or parchment, if they went to a fancy school). It’s not a guarantee that they’ll be any good at their job.
  - ziddoap 2y ago
    >A degree is ultimately just a piece of paper Would you be comfortable visiting a doctor who didn't have their "piece of paper"? Obviously a degree is not a guarantee of skill or knowledge. No one is saying it is. However, a degree is a very strong indicator that the person is above some minimum level of knowledge. The counterpoint of "there are shitty lawyers with degrees" is ridiculous. Remove the requirements and those same people would still be shitty lawyers -- you've just lowered the floor so that even more shitty lawyers can practice.
    - db48x 2y ago
      Yes. The primary purpose of occupational licensing is to reduce the number of people who can participate in the occupation. Test doctors and judges and hair stylists alike based on whether they can do the job, not whether they have a piece of paper. Thousands of judges in 28 states are doing the job just fine even though they haven’t got that piece of paper. Requiring them to get one isn’t going to fix any problems.
      - ziddoap 2y ago
        >Test doctors and judges and hair stylists alike based on whether they can do the job This is exactly what the piece of paper shows when you get it from an accredited and reputable institution. What is your proposal? Do surgery until you stop killing people to prove that you can do them now?

by db48x 2y ago

Remember that a degree is only a credential, and people without the credential can still be good at their job. What you need to be a judge is knowledge, not a credential.

Vilian 2y ago

It's because this type that anti-intelectualism that make USA justice system seems like a circus, and the best clown, the one that convince the public win

ddtaylor 2y ago

The Bar exam is supposed to be a legal litmus test of some kind

db48x 2y ago
A lot of court functions don’t involve lawyers at all. Small Claims courts, traffic courts, etc, etc. States that allow judges without a law degree are using them in these courts.
- ddtaylor 2y ago
  Small claims courts, traffic courts and every other area of the legal apparatus should not be wield by potentially incompetent people. We already have enough problems with these swords when being held by competent people.

mcherm 2y ago

> people without the credential can still be good at their job Yes, and some can be very bad at their job. The goal of requiring one to pass a bar exam in order to practice law is to minimize the number of practicioners who are horribly incompetent, because of the serious damage it can do. It seems to me that a judge who doesn't know how the law works can do even MORE severe damage.

db48x 2y ago
That’s a fair opinion, but 28 out of 50 states voted otherwise. If you want to change that then talk to your state’s congresscritters. Just remember that there are plenty of terrible lawyers out there who did pass the bar, and plenty of terrible judges who were once terrible lawyers. A degree is ultimately just a piece of paper (or parchment, if they went to a fancy school). It’s not a guarantee that they’ll be any good at their job.
- ziddoap 2y ago
  >A degree is ultimately just a piece of paper Would you be comfortable visiting a doctor who didn't have their "piece of paper"? Obviously a degree is not a guarantee of skill or knowledge. No one is saying it is. However, a degree is a very strong indicator that the person is above some minimum level of knowledge. The counterpoint of "there are shitty lawyers with degrees" is ridiculous. Remove the requirements and those same people would still be shitty lawyers -- you've just lowered the floor so that even more shitty lawyers can practice.
  - db48x 2y ago
    Yes. The primary purpose of occupational licensing is to reduce the number of people who can participate in the occupation. Test doctors and judges and hair stylists alike based on whether they can do the job, not whether they have a piece of paper. Thousands of judges in 28 states are doing the job just fine even though they haven’t got that piece of paper. Requiring them to get one isn’t going to fix any problems.
    - ziddoap 2y ago
      >Test doctors and judges and hair stylists alike based on whether they can do the job This is exactly what the piece of paper shows when you get it from an accredited and reputable institution. What is your proposal? Do surgery until you stop killing people to prove that you can do them now?