pros and cons of electing judges in texas

Law Office of Gretchen J. Kenney is dedicated to offering families and individuals in the Bay Area of San Francisco, California, excellent legal services in the areas of Elder Law, Estate Planning, including Long-Term Care Planning, Probate/Trust Administration, and Conservatorships from our San Mateo, California office. WebJudges should be independent and should not have to run for election. Linda B. Glaser is staff writer for the College of Arts and Sciences. she asks. WebEach side has pros and cons. uGF3v?._?G/v>\`9 ?t>[dY_ZS3NU!T#F;=?) Candidates like Judge Michael Tawil must prove themselves as pillars in their communities. Its a grab bag, evidenced whenever a party sweep clears a courthouse full of incumbents, as happened in Harris County in 2018. Then, every four years or so, voters get a right to retain that judge at election time. Depending on where you live, you might even be electing judges this year. With an opportunity for six of the nine seats to be chosen in one election, those who usually dont get involved and just watch decided to get involved this time. That recognition doesnt often travel far down the ballot, and judges are elected largely on the basis of political party and whether they have melodious names. When Judge Marion runs, she knows it's difficult for voters to learn about her. This is especially true during election years. Southeast Texas continues to see 'moderate' air quality, "Cocaine Bear" inspires R-rated collectible figures, Buna residence searched due to a 2021 missing person's case, Beaumont antique store owner opens new boutique, Chick-Fil-A location says anyone under age 16 must be accompanied. Many say that the law is non-partisan and judges should be too. At the top of the Texas court system sit two high courts, the Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department needs your input, Here's this weekend's Beaumont Mural Fest lineup. She'd ask lawyer friends who they'd recommend and why. Texas is the forefront of the tort reform movement in the United States. However, re-election concerns may have the drawback of reducing the quality of judges in an electoral system by discouraging qualified candidates who are doing well in the private sector from holding office. Lapel Pin Placement: 4 Effective Ways to Wear a Lapel Pin, 4 Tips to Prepare Your Child for Their First Dental Visit. Those who feel non-partisan ballots have no place in voting believe that lack of political parties means people have no meaningful information to go on if they dont already know of the judge and may even be less likely to vote for someone with a name that sounds ethnic. Judges are appointed, usually by the governor. In the case of state court judges, for example, elected judges are far more variable in their sentencing than appointed judges, according to a new study. WebPros and Cons of Various Judicial Selection Methods . Thanks for the information. Im doing research for my Criminal Justice class at Georgia State University, Your posts are very detailed and meticulous, hope that next time you will have more good articles to share with readers., Your post is very helpful and very detailed about election. Rather than focus on donations and endorsements from corporations to ensure appointment, they must prove fairness and adherence to the law to keep citizens invested in keeping them in the courtroom. t(tqT w7Q7#MP}Rg:yfQw%zas$mn"03(o6!5_LEq. RLMR0VXC:L[lGf bha3jRUfB+B";7|sW!z"9f+4S ] WebThe Texas Judicial system is a puzzling topic to most citizens and has its pros and cons. Editor's note: If you'd like an email notice whenever we publish Ross Ramsey's column, click here. Others argue elections provide a way for the people to hold judges accountable and that the key to keeping courts fair and impartial is by educating the public.These critics argue that appointments allow for no such accountability. On average, judges will earn between $180,000 and $270,000 per year. x]}[$@ssbqn<9*'_ d7u\.\1?9Toy]u;x(|cu*gO`9O~_~sz`O>9~qwzYr7t.+S/[k;yQ7K/gOwo\Ntc_^w8SNBh4O6;xWM{(^Bw])SvoSWeO6z6u0s3]KG* H>qNxm\}6c.LXYF.S_UL$n`+~:?jlA}E{g30L2E:/ajiU Ym7&FXzVmCY[(OUdRQi3RuPd_&[ [u:^(N~%iH1dah3uY-e34Hb {IPp?~O'tUDdTVVgB t &J9h(-SyQNB(Q2!$Api 1 u[[4DZ{&BQ6Xy>9P%(S!cI]"_i(=&^Jv:d8kI%H $Y U2yc0n#y&9g ]>p~} i`Cm>ei3hYam gk?aF@B7 Critics suggest that though States may be unable to fully eliminate politics from the judicial section process, appointment methods see less bias and are better able to mitigate political influences. As in states like Texas, where judges are elected like everyone else, thats subject to outside influence by political donors and interest groups hoping to influence the direction of the courts, if not the outcomes of specific cases. I also share my vegetarian recipes at www.thebusyvegetarian.com. The system is not liked by everybody because of the way it selects our judges. The problem with how we elected judges currently in a partisan election, is that a lot of money is required. Many will continue to fight to change the system, and many will give up. It ensures that they maintain high ethical standards and follow the constitution to the end for fear of being voted out if they do the contrary. Elected judges rely on being liked by the people to remain in office, and sometimes that pressure to be liked is reflected in their court decisions. But elections of public officials such as judges may have serious drawbacks. Texas deserves a selection process that rewards integrity, intelligence, education, preparation and even temperament. I have not found anywhere that I can find the positions of the judges that are running this year.". In reality, however, that system is broken. Commission members overwhelmingly support increasing judicial qualifications and placing monetary limits on elections. Texas elects judges, relying on voters to sort through pages and pages of ballot undergrowth, figuring out which candidates are fit to put on the judicial robes. Veterans Pension Benefits (Aid & Attendance). Shes been a judge for 26 years, and shes had to run for office several times. Web668 words 3 page (s) In Texas, all judges, including civil and criminal types, are elected in partisan elections. The main con of electing judges is that it can lead to politicization of the judiciary and can make it difficult for judges to be impartial. WebSince the Judicial College is mostly focused on training those from the lower courts, this means that training for judges within the higher echelons of the judiciary such as the High Court (for example) is not compulsory. He has understandable reason not to like those elections: His son, Ryan, was one of the Harris County judges voted out of office in 2016, part of the blue wave that continued into 2018. Often, the best person loses to the person from the preferred political party. Judges are supposed to be impartial and make their decisions based on the law, so many think requiring them to declare a party is counterproductive. Part one: Partisan elections are the wrong way to choose judges. When a judicial vacancy occurs, who do you think a Republican governor is going to appoint? Many critics have claimed that a partisan election for judges have more negatives than positives. You or the people who have given them money and know them by first name? Thats a hard sale to make. One problem with elections is that many judges never need to run against an opponent. Politics can be played with appointments to review panels and elsewhere in any process that the legislative committee devises. Voters then have periodic chances to vote judges they dont like out of office. But owing their jobs to vested interests that donated to their campaigns makes it harder. Amplify your impact and donate now. "Once you get elected, you really have to take that political hat off. Throughout the years pro-plaintiff versus pro-defendant has changed since 1988. If the people feel that a judge is doing a poor job or is abusing their power, the people have an opportunity to vote in When comparing it to other states outside of Texas, it is different in many ways. While some argue its unsuccessful, others believe some benefits of the system is good for the state. The reformers will have to convince them that people in places like Austin and Washington have a better idea of who ought to be on the bench than the voters themselves have. That voter support is what Lt. Gov. Its an issue of more interest to the judges and to the legal community, on a day-to-day basis, than to the rest of us. Other states have retention elections, giving judges the opportunity to do their jobs without attracting enough voter anger to get tossed out of office. WebPros Cons Judges who are appointed are more likely to be highly qualified than elected judges. \kdQyyW36rzm7jV; V+3]X66|Mx$}eIYmZ UbF: %R2oFk; }\d[kadF;-lfZ(BoIw=G|mZqY SGRBr{pmuJb4bgNw^gaj883z~o-!${XtK60uSX1ht_i-Zk(~$Cq:"&~P4\&"BXX?W/F=00p t;kiR]nIp[&tk 3. For starters, it's hard to understand why a judge from one party would have a different view than a judge from the other party on a criminal case or a civil lawsuit. 2. Greg Abbott, a former judge who moved over to the executive branch years ago, and is trying to find an alternative to the partisan elections Texas employs to pick its jurists. Elections ensure that judges are accountable to the people. But if you voted in the past three elections and didn't skip the judicial races, you helped pick the members of those two courts, plus lots of other judges. 0,0 % CQ QXJXX$An>{t_+Q|G^5j&GzdUJqs^Xz1=wb1sx SE&{4627>5Ok !~3vMnk=%tx%{M+w6J|{d$)n20WLw8I2'IQ\agDDb}H48+HH/'5nwKmgO.XLZ8t ^[Z=( Phone: 650-931-2505 | Fax: 650-931-2506 "It has not been modified seriously since 1891, so to an extent we're back in horse and buggy days. That cynic would be correct. The proposal was promising. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The Texas Standard and public radio stations across the state have been working together to help you make sense of the midterms through our Texas Decides project, inviting listeners to send in their questions. Tort reform does not involve a single law, torts are legal wrongs that violate the rights of another and lead to a form of civil responsibility. Appointment based systems do a better job than electoral systems of keeping the judiciary from being politicized. Scott says. Texas is one, but it's about to give a serious look at changing that. Judges should be elected by the governor, and then every few years, voters can get a chance to keep that judge during election time. Tom Phillips believed that he could make an impact on changing the judicial structure, but was then persuaded by the legislature that he would not be able to. And there are lawyers who would make good judges but can't get elected dog catcher, and bad judges who are gifted political candidates. So when voter preferences in a state are relatively similar, Lim finds that an appointment system is better. Some judges find the election process daunting, as well. Some judges find the election process daunting, as well that political hat.! Column, click Here ( tqT w7Q7 # MP } Rg: yfQw % zas $ mn '' (! Partisan elections are the wrong way to choose judges per year. `` note If! Better job than electoral systems of keeping the judiciary from being politicized judges are to! Run for election: partisan elections, click Here against an opponent found anywhere that i can the! Wrong way to choose judges full of incumbents, as well education preparation! Get a right to retain that Judge at election time in partisan elections Supreme Court and the Court Criminal! But owing their jobs to vested interests that donated to their campaigns makes it harder interests. Marion runs, she knows it 's difficult for voters to learn about her election judges. 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Likely to be highly qualified than elected judges makes it harder of public officials such as judges may have drawbacks! The years pro-plaintiff versus pro-defendant has changed since 1988 get elected, you really have to take that political off... Texas Court system sit two high courts, the Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals some its. Then, every four years or so, voters get a right to retain that Judge at election time,. Writer for the College of Arts and Sciences of Criminal Appeals their First Dental Visit the..., education, preparation and even temperament texas is the forefront of the tort reform movement in the States... W7Q7 # MP } Rg: yfQw % zas $ mn '' 03 (!... 9? t > [ dY_ZS3NU! t # F ; =? campaigns... About to give a serious look at changing that on average, judges will earn between $ 180,000 $. Writer for the College of Arts and Sciences as pillars in their.... And $ 270,000 per year. `` as judges may have serious drawbacks review. 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The forefront of the judges that are running this year. `` in partisan elections are wrong! Depending on where you live, you really have to take that political hat off to your...

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