The O'Connor Judicial Selection Plan
Project Status: Advisor to state judicial selection leaders
Most Americans undergo job evaluations, and there is no reason why judges should not do the same. Judicial performance evaluation (JPE) programs advance several different important policy goals, including:
- Providing feedback and tools for judicial self-improvement
- Promoting public confidence in the judiciary
- Informing voters about judicial performance before elections
While JPE programs are state-specific, all adhere closely to the criteria that judges should be evaluated on the process of judging rather than specific case outcomes. More specifically, the criteria focus on qualities that anyone would demand of a good judge: excellent legal ability and legal knowledge, integrity and impartiality, strong communication skills, professional temperament, and high administrative capacity. IAALS’ research has highlighted a clear public consensus for this vision.
Since its founding, IAALS has been at the forefront of efforts to improve and expand programs for evaluating the performance of state and federal court judges. We have earned a reputation as the “go to” group for research, recommendations, and practical assistance in the JPE field. We have accomplished this by serving, in a number of contexts, as a convener of JPE program administrators, judges, lawmakers, and scholars who are committed to promoting and ensuring effective judicial performance evaluation in states around the country.
IAALS continues to serve as an ongoing resource and consultant to lawmakers, fair courts advocates, and thought leaders interested in judicial selection issues, and as a conduit of information and research-based recommendations for judicial performance evaluation programs around the country.