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- Attorney General Says Mandatory Minimums & Recidivist Enhancements Are Not The Answer (8/24/13)1
- Why Are Two Million People Behind Bars In Our Country? (5/25/13)4

Don't Throw Justice Under The Bus
Most everyone would agree that the best justice system is one in which justice cannot be bought.
For years Iowa has had a system of appointing judges by a process of merit selection. In some states, judges have to run for election and solicit contributions to fund their campaigns. Who would want his case decided by a judge he did not help elect---especially if his adversary had contributed to that judge's campaign? Merit selection is by far the better approach.
Judges must make tough, unpopular decisions when the law requires it. Judges are not supposed to publicly comment about a case being decided.
There is a present campaign/bus tour to unseat Justice David Wiggins because Wiggins joined a unanimous court in a decision three years ago concerning gay marriage.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2012/09/26/161830542/another-iowa-judge-...
If a voter wants to vote not to retain a judge because the judge is not a good judge (ie repeatedly exhibits poor temperament, is biased, or never gets the decisions out in timely fashion) so be it. But to vote not to retain a judge only because one does not agree with one controversial opinion that judge joined three years ago does nothing but throw our justice system under the bus.
- -- Posted by acerdj on Thu, Sep 27, 2012, at 5:03 AM
- -- Posted by Sony on Thu, Sep 27, 2012, at 9:12 AM
- -- Posted by Steelerfan100 on Thu, Sep 27, 2012, at 3:51 PM
- -- Posted by deweyh on Thu, Sep 27, 2012, at 4:50 PM
- -- Posted by muvymatt on Fri, Sep 28, 2012, at 9:56 AM
- -- Posted by MichaelR1951 on Sat, Sep 29, 2012, at 5:41 PM
- -- Posted by acerdj on Mon, Oct 1, 2012, at 7:01 AM
- -- Posted by acerdj on Mon, Oct 1, 2012, at 7:19 AM
- -- Posted by MichaelR1951 on Wed, Oct 3, 2012, at 4:03 PM
- -- Posted by DHarris on Tue, Oct 9, 2012, at 10:05 AM
- -- Posted by acerdj on Wed, Oct 10, 2012, at 7:09 AM
- -- Posted by Sony on Wed, Nov 7, 2012, at 12:59 PM
- -- Posted by CubbieBlue on Wed, Nov 7, 2012, at 4:15 PM
- -- Posted by JP Greer on Wed, Nov 7, 2012, at 8:25 PM
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