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The Diane Rehm Show discusses how judicial elections and appointment processes impact fairness in state courts.
Some critics argue elections create political biases which weaken judicial impartiality. These critics contend judges are not… MORE
News and Updates
A third of the Middle District of Pennsylvania's active court lies vacant due to the slow-moving process of judicial nominations. The Atlantic reports these vacancies significantly overburden the Middle District, forcing citizens into… MORE
News and Updates
This year, Albany Law Review's annual State Constitutional Commentary Symposium features articles from IAALS Advisory Committee Members.
Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and Chief Justice Ruth McGregor contributed a short piece… MORE
News and Updates
In a recent editorial, The New York Times argues the current judicial selection method of electing high state court judges makes the judiciary more susceptible to influence by campaign donors. Because a sizable percentage of campaign funding… MORE
News and Updates
At its fall convention, the state Democratic Party nominated three women to run for supreme court seats in November. Two of the three candidates are challenging incumbent justices, while the third is running for an open seat.
News and Updates
According to financial disclosure forms, five of the seven justices serving on the supreme court in 2011 accepted travel or hospitality that was often provided by attorney associations whose members might appear before the court. Some legal scholars… MORE
News and Updates
Chief Judge David Sentelle of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia warns that the federal judiciary will be at risk if Congress cannot reach a budget deal to prevent the implementation of $600 billion in automatic… MORE
News and Updates
In a recent press release, The Justice at Stake Campaign (JAS) suggests changing spending patterns may indicate a new phase of judicial election spending. JAS reports campaign spending is expected to fall in states dominated by a single… MORE
News and Updates
From three finalists named by the judicial nominating commission, Governor Daniels appointed county court judge Loretta Rush to the supreme court. This appointment leaves only two states (Idaho and Iowa) without a woman on the highest court. Rush… MORE
News and Updates
The founders of Justice Not Politics, a 501(c)(4) organization formed to defend three justices against retention challenges in 2010, have established a 527 organization called Justice Not Politics Action to support Justice David Wiggins’… MORE