Cyrus Dugger
Keep judicial system free from influences
A great op-ed from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Keep judicial system free from influences
By JAY COOK
Published on: 12/20/06This election season, threats to judicial independence rippled through ballot boxes across America. But the voters spoke loud and clear: We do not want partisan and special-interest factions interfering with our impartial courts.
In Georgia, special-interest money did not prevail after producing "one of the most negative judicial campaigns in American history," according to a national news report.
In South Dakota, voters soundly defeated the "JAIL 4 Judges" initiative. Only 10 percent of voters backed the measure that would have stripped judicial immunity and established an unaccountable fourth branch of government to intimidate judges.
In Colorado, voters defeated Amendment 40, which sought to impose four-year term limits for Supreme Court justices and appellate judges. If the amendment had passed, five of the state's seven high-court justices would have been removed from the bench within the next two years.
But this is no time to rest on our laurels.
According to news reports, these same special-interest groups (trying to convince some of our own state legislators) are hoping to get around the voters by adding two justices to Georgia's seven-seat Supreme Court. Because the state constitution allows "up to nine justices," they can legally stack the court without voter consent. (keep reading)
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Posted at 1:43 PM, Dec 21, 2006 in
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