CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Gov. Joe Manchin has chosen former chief counsel Carte Goodwin, a member of a prominent West Virginia family, to succeed the late U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd. Manchin announced Goodwin's appointment Friday during a news conference at the West Virginia Capitol. I am genuinely confident that Carte...
76 % of Americans believe campaign contributions have at least some impact on a judge's courtroom decisions.
Source: Justice at Stake national poll
Source: Justice at Stake national poll
Justice at Stake in the News
Using bitingly personal language, the seven justices of the Wisconsin Supreme Court spent much of the current term arguing over, among other things, when and whether they could be forced out of cases before the court. Given how few cases have actually been resolved as the term winds toward its...
[JURIST] A group of legal reform organizations on Tuesday called on US government officials to make judicial nominations a top priority [letter, PDF; press release] and to fill judicial vacancies expeditiously. The letter, sent to President Barack Obama, the Senate majority and minority leaders as well as the leadership of...
The Justice at Stake Campaign and two partner groups have urged the White House and Senate leaders to join together and reduce a growing backlog of judicial nominations. Learn more from Gavel Grab.
It is yet another example of democracy in action and plaudits to the Wall Street Journal for coming to the defense of the millions of dollars that help some states choose judges. (6th paragraph) A report by Justice at Stake discloses that in 2000, candidates seeking Supreme Court seats in...
Standing within earshot of four past and present Pennsylvania governors and a bevy of lawmakers and Capitol staffers, Sen. Jane Earll, R-Erie, made a confession about voting for statewide appellate court judges. Even though she is a lawyer and a lawmaker who likes to think she pays attention to these...
A solid majority of Pennsylvanians–62 percent–favors replacing contested elections for appellate judges with merit selection, a poll conducted for Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts shows. Find out more in Gavel Grab.
Despite efforts to give Indiana voters more say on big issues -- referendums over public spending being a notable example -- there's no such movement when it comes to judges of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. (8th Paragraph) Although such concerns are legitimate, a thornier problem occurs when...
In todays political climate one may be hard-pressed to name many issues that truly unite both sides of the aisle. Merit selection is one of these rare birds. PMC has long been part of a coalition of diverse business, legal, community, civic, and religious groups, as well as individuals, that...
Alabama leads the nation this year in spending on state Supreme Court elections at more than $1 million. “Small change in an Alabama election is big bucks anywhere else,” remarked Charles Hall, Justice at Stake’s spokesman. Read more in Gavel Grab.
Alabama most expensive state for judicial election Spending among all candidates running for the Alabama Supreme Court has topped $1 million, making this state the nation's most expensive for seeking a post on the state high court. But 2010 may be an off year. Only three of the nine state...
Gavel Grab reported yesterday that Ohios newly elected Chief Justice Eric Brown made personal telephone calls requesting attendance at campaign fundraising event. The states code of judicial conduct prohibits direct solicitation and receipt of campaign contributions. An advisor to the campaign asserts that the Chief Justice did not violate the...
In a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case, Michigan Supreme Court Justices Robert Young Jr. and Maura Corrigan argued against rules to disqualify judges from hearing cases involving major contributors their election campaigns. (16th Paragraph) According to the non-partisan advocacy group Justice at Stake, in 2004 five candidates for the Michigan...
BAY CITY Jennifer Cass Barnes may have a distinct advantage in the race to become Bay Countys next elected district judge. Its all about one little word that will now appear after her name on the Aug. 3 primary ballot: Incumbent. (6th Paragraph)I think there are reasonable grounds for concern...
The investigative magazine Mother Jones, citing the Justice at Stake Campaign, has turned a spotlight on a trend toward “astonishingly expensive” judicial elections that get little voter attention. Read more in Gavel Grab.
