Author believes American justice system is broken but fixable

News and Updates
CNN's Bill Mears recently interviewed IAALS Executive Director Rebecca Love Kourlis about the challenges facing civil courts, including resource constraints, politicization and inaccessibility. Kourlis: The courts are overloaded, they're bogged… MORE

Primary could decide race for Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice

News and Updates
The March 2012 Republican primary could determine who the next chief justice will be. Three Republicans are vying for the seat, but no Democratic challengers have emerged.

Indiana Chief Justice To Step Down

News and Updates
Randall Shepard, currently the longest-serving state chief justice, announced his intention to retire as of March 2012. The judicial nominating commission will screen applicants to fill the supreme court vacancy and send three names to Governor… MORE

Forrest S. Mosten

Profile
Forrest (“Woody”) Mosten is internationally recognized as the “Father of Unbundling” for his pioneering work in Limited Scope Representation to provide affordable and understandable legal services to the underserved members of our society. He is in… MORE

Retirement creates chance for more diverse court

News and Updates
Diversity may be a factor in filling the vacancy. Indiana is one of only three states with no women justices, and only one justice of color currently serves on the court.

Appeals court turns down challenge of judicial retention ballots

News and Updates
The court of appeals rejected on standing grounds a challenge to the 2010 judicial retention ballot, an election that ended with the defeat of all three supreme court justices standing for retention. The challenge was brought by three attorneys and… MORE

Virginia’s judge-selection process criticized by Lt. Gov. Bolling

News and Updates
A Republican candidate for governor voiced his support for commission-based appointment of the state’s judges. According to Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, there is too much “horse-trading” in the current system, in which the legislature chooses… MORE

Judge hopefuls spent $1.1 million

News and Updates
Seven candidates for six seats on Luzerne County’s court of common pleas spent $1.1 million on their campaigns. The losing candidate spent the least of the seven candidates.

Unusual Move by Christie in Feud Over Judgeships

News and Updates
As a result of the standoff between Governor Christie and Democratic leaders in the legislature, one-fourth of the judgeships on the Essex County Superior Court are vacant. The governor is said to be refusing to fill these seats because the senate… MORE

Madison County judge dropped from asbestos hearings after receiving asbestos money

News and Updates
A trial court judge was removed from hearing all asbestos cases after accepting $30,000 in campaign contributions from attorneys whose firms had cases on the judge’s asbestos docket.