Miscellaneous

Corporate Counsel and Chiefs Speak Out

By Anne Skove, Esq.

Are courts inefficient? Under-funded? How do state court judges fare?

Metropolitan Corporate Counsel ran a series of interviews and articles focusing on these very concerns. But can such an outlet be impartial on these matters?

In its defense, any shortcomings in the courts (and there are many, according to the high-powered lawyers interviewed) may be solved by better court funding and organization. However, many problems and recommendations noted are based primarily on personal views.

Yet, these anecdotes seem to be just what the Defense Research Institute was after in gathering stories. The attorney interviewees provide insight into big-firm thinking about e-filing, judicial salaries, caseflow, judicial assignment, and other court-related issues. It is true that court funding has no constituency outside the courts themselves, even though such funding affects us all. Who better than lawyers to promote better funding, particularly when nobody else is?

Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Shepard is interviewed, as is Delaware Chief Justice Steele. CJ Shepard defends trial judges as "the heroes of [the American] justice system." CJ Steele discusses Delaware's high judicial salaries, judicial selection process, staffing, technology, and admission of expert testimony. Very interesting. Too bad there is no counter-point from CJ Kaye or CJ George with respect to the criticism of New York and California courts in the other interviews.

See State Courts Need More Funding -- Now; Court Reforms Needed -- Yet California Facing Budget Reductions; A Corporate Counsel Imperative -- More and Better Judges; Improving Our Courts: A Civil Justice Reform Priority; Underfunded Courts -- The Greatest Challenge; and Delaware: Where the Best Lawyers Aspire to Become Judges, all from Metropolitan Corporate Counsel's February 2008 issue.

Full post as published by court-o-rama.org on February 04, 2008 (boomark / email).