Litigation

Special Interests Get Their Say in SCoTUS Vacancy Media Coverage

Posted on May 06, 2009
As speculation continues to swell over who President Obama will nominate to succeed retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter, organizations continue to lobby the president to choose a candidate that will instill some diversity into the bench. An article in the Examiner seems to endorse Circuit Court Judge Susan Sotomayor, who, if confirmed, would be just the [...

links for 2009-05-05

Posted on May 05, 2009
judgesonmerit.org » More Party Maneuverings in Philly Judicial Elections Improve, don't scrap, system of picking judges : Today's Editorial : Knoxville News Sentinel Editorial: Tennessee Plan under attack : Editorials : Memphis Commercial Appeal Summers/Davenport: Will justice be for sale in Tennessee? : Perspectives : Knoxville News Sentinel 5/1/2009 - Judges Can Comment On Judicial Selection - And Response [...

Souter Articles Target Special Interests

Posted on May 04, 2009
Media coverage of Justice Souter’s retirement continued over the weekend and today. Of particular note was the Washington Post’s coverage of actions already taken by special interest groups with regard to Souter’s replacement.  Organizations like NARAL and Alliance for Justice have released statements outlining their criteria for President Obama’s nominee...

links for 2009-05-02

Posted on May 02, 2009
Ramsey seeks agreement on judicial selection — WZTV FOX 17/Nashville 04/30/2009 - Effort to change the Missouri Plan's method of choosing judges fails in the Missouri Senate - STLtoday.com Face It: Judges Are Political, Elect Them Openly - WSJ...

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President Obama?s Statement on Justice Souter?s Retirement

Posted on May 01, 2009
. President Obama made a surprise appearance at this afternoon’s White House daily press briefing to confirm that Justice David Souter had told him he plans to retire. After praising Souter?s career, the President added (video here): Now, the process of selecting someone to replace Justice Souter is among my most serious responsibilities as President...

Souter Retirement Reports Spark Media Outpouring

Posted on May 01, 2009
Reports that Supreme Court Justice David Souter plans to retire has set off a media stampede focusing on two questions: Whom will President Obama choose as Souter’s replacement, and will the nomination battle be somewhat civil or outright ugly? Initial reports Thursday night focused on Souter’s apparent decision-still unconfirmed-to retire at the end of this term...

Attack on Missouri Plan Stalling?

Posted on May 01, 2009
Missouri’s Senate failed to take a vote on an overhaul of the state’s system for appointing judges. According to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch article, that probably means the proposed constitutional amendment is dead for this year. The proposal had been passed by the House, but needs Senate approval to go before voters in 2010...

links for 2009-04-30

Posted on April 30, 2009
Wisconsin court candidates spent $1.26 million - WGBA - Outside groups spent over $1 million in court race - The Daily Cardinal Let's reform how Missouri selects judges | Midwest Voices

Bybee Invited to Testify by Leahy

Posted on April 30, 2009
Jay Bybee, the federal appellate judge targeted by some for impeachment, has been invited by Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) to explain his role in legal opinions that justified the harsh interrogation of detainees. Bybee wrote the memos in 2002, while head of the Bush administration?s Office of Legal Counsel, before he [...

Agreement Would End Merit Selection in Indiana County

Posted on April 30, 2009
St. Joseph County, one of two jurisdictions in Indiana that appoints local judges through merit selection commissions, would begin electing Superior Court judges under an agreement reached between House and Senate conferees, according to a news report...

New Gavel to Gavel Issue

Posted on April 30, 2009
Gavel to Gavel, the excellent National Center for State Courts summary of legislation affecting state courts, has been released. This note from editor Bill Raftery contains the details: Small claims: Oklahoma?s House and Senate vote to more than quadruple their limits from $6,000 to $25,000 while New Hampshire?s House approves an increase from $5,000 to $10,000...

Tennessee Lawmakers Split on Judicial Elections

Posted on April 30, 2009
A Tennessee Senate panel has unexpectedly voted to hold contested elections for appellate judges, putting it on a collision course with House leaders, who are seeking to modify the current appointive system. In a surprise move, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, right,  cast a tie-breaking vote in favor of a plan to begin competitive elections as early as next [...

links for 2009-04-29

Posted on April 29, 2009
judgesonmerit.org » Lawyers Helping Judges Get Elected judgesonmerit.org » Judges and Campaign Contributors Same-sex marriage: Gay couple sues over license denial | ShreveportTimes | The Times State bar to publish bios on judicial candidates | News | standardspeaker...

Blagojevich?s Legacy to Include Court Reforms?

Posted on April 29, 2009
An Illinois commission appointed in the wake of the Rod Blagojevich scandal has proposed several significant reforms affecting how judges are elected, as part of a broader program to clean up ethics problems. In a report released Tuesday, the Illinois Reform Commission called for public financing of judicial elections, starting in 2010, as a pilot test of [...

New Spending Totals From Wisconsin

Posted on April 29, 2009
The Wisconsin Supreme Court race has been over a few weeks, but the campaign spending totals are still rolling in. According to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign (WDC),  a Justice at Stake partner, $1.26 million was spent by special interest groups. The biggest spenders were the Greater Wisconsin Committee and the Wisconsin Education Council...

Specter?s Defection Raises Questions about Judicial Nominations

Posted on April 29, 2009
While Sen. Arlen Specter’s defection has been the source of much delight in Democratic circles, it remains unclear what, if any, effect the senator’s new party affiliation will have on President Obama’s judicial nominations. When Sen...

Alterations to ?Missouri Plan? Slammed

Posted on April 29, 2009
As Gavel Grab discussed earlier this month, the Missouri legislature is debating a constitutional amendment that would alter the nonpartisan Missouri Plan by giving lawmakers more power in selecting state judges. According to the University of Missouri’s Maneater,  incoming Missouri Bar President Harold “Skip” Walther told a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters: This bill was designed [...

Texas Senator Issues Warning to White House Over Nominations

Posted on April 28, 2009
A judicial war of words is brewing between the U.S. senators from Texas and the Obama White House. CQ Politics reports that Sen. John Cornyn has stated in plain words that if the White House does not give his and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson’s judicial recommendations their due attention, there will be repercussions...

links for 2009-04-25

Posted on April 25, 2009
judgesonmerit.org » Talking About Judicial Selection in PA Gloria Clark Reno pioneers as first black woman circuit court judge in STL County - St. Louis American House Panel Advances Judicial Selection Proposals — Memphis Daily News NH committee recommends killing gay marriage bill - Boston...

links for 2009-04-24

Posted on April 24, 2009
Justice O'Connor issues elected judges opinion - WNDU-NBC News O'Connor favors merit selection of judges — chicagotribune.com Wall Street Journal wrong about Missouri judge plan | Midwest Voices UPDATE: Bar Association stumps against changes to Missouri Plan | Political Fix | STLtoday Mo...

links for 2009-04-23

Posted on April 23, 2009
Missouri Brakes - WSJ.com Missourinet: Missouri Bar comes out against any change to Missouri Plan Lt. Governor Ramsey offers new plan on Supreme Court elections : Mid-South : Memphis Commercial Appeal Should Texas judges be appointed instead of elected? Chattanooga Times Free Press | A threat to courts? integrity PhillyBurbs...

Justices Smile for the Camera-Sort of

Posted on April 23, 2009
Fun blog posting from reporter Tony Mauro of the Washington Legal Times, on the appearance of Justices Stephen G. Breyer, right, and Clarence Thomas at a House hearing on the U.S. Supreme Court’s annual budget request. Amid a discussion of whether the court should allow television cameras, the video-averse justices suddenly found themselves live on the internet, via [...

Calls for Impeachment of Judge Bybee Get More Media Attention

Posted on April 23, 2009
  With impeachment threats growing against Judge Jay Bybee,  media outlets are publishing story after story on the issue.  As Gavel Grab has previously covered, Judge Bybee is under attack for memos authorizing harsh treatment of detainees, recently released by the Obama administration, that he drafted prior to his time on the federal bench...

Tort Reform Group Urges Public Financing in Illinois

Posted on April 22, 2009
The Illinois Civil Justice League, which donated nearly $1.2 million in the most expensive state Supreme court election ever, has unveiled a plan to use public financing for state appellate judges. Referring to a 2004 election in which Republican Lloyd Karmeier, right, and Democratic opponent Gordon Maag raised a combined $9...

Merit Selection Debated in 3 States

Posted on April 22, 2009
Debates over media selection have attracted media attention in three states.  An Austin American-statesman article says attempts to appoint judges face an uphill battle in Texas, despite support from state Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson. The article cites the state’s longstanding public support for electing judges, as well as fears by many special interests that they might [...

links for 2009-04-17

Posted on April 17, 2009
Memphis Flyer | Politics Beat Blog | Chief Justice Defends Tennessee Plan, calls Direct-Elections for State Judiciary ?Ridiculous? Public financing of local elections a logical step

Impeach Judge Bybee? (continued)

Posted on April 17, 2009
In the wake of the release of Justice Department memos about detainee treatment, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow was the latest to talk about impeaching Judge Jay Bybee, a former Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Counsel who wrote some of them.  An excerpt, which begins at 7:30 of this video, reads: MADDOW:  In reading the Bybee memo [...

When Should Judges Recuse over their own Campaign Contributions?

Posted on April 16, 2009
The growing debate over recusal of judges over campaign cash has seeped into the federal courts.  This time questions involve contributions made by judges.  The National Law Journal reports that two members of the Minnesota Supreme Court, which has been hearing litigation over the prolonged U...

links for 2009-04-16

Posted on April 16, 2009
Legal Profession Blog: Better Judging Through Education judgesonmerit.org » Is Anyone Voting in Judicial Elections? Defendants, put your trust in . . . judge | Guest opinion: Michael Morrison

If at First You Don?t Secede ?

Posted on April 16, 2009
Evidently, the way to get reelected in Texas is to fan the flames of states? rights and secession.  At least that appears to be Governor Rick Perry?s strategy.  Locked in a reelection race against Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Gov. Perry appeared at a rally yesterday where his crowd screamed for secession...

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