This study assesses whether, as some claim, there is empirical evidence that women and minority judges are evaluated less favorably than their Caucasian male colleagues. We find that judges in four states with longstanding judicial performance evaluation (JPE) programs generally receive high marks from court users but that there are a few areas in which women and minority judges receive lower scores.

This publication couples the desired attributes for court systems and individual judges identified by participants in the IAALS Roundtable on Judicial Selection with principles (or “cornerstones”) for judicial selection processes that are most likely to produce court systems and judges with these attributes.

The Task Force on Appellate Opinion Review convened by IAALS was charged with considering existing opinion review processes, discussing the merits of various approaches and establishing guidelines and recommendations for both states with existing programs for opinion review and those interested in establishing such a program. Their final report contains broad recommendations, and model criteria and questionnaires.

The O’Connor Judicial Selection Plan is a model plan for choosing, evaluating, and retaining judges, consisting of four elements that balance the need for fair and impartial courts with the need for public accountability and transparency.

A subcommittee of the O’Connor Judicial Selection Advisory Committee developed a set of goals to pursue and principles to follow in the selection, composition, and operation of judicial nominating commissions.