Selection Snapshots

The newly-formed Oklahoma Civil Justice Council is developing a judicial rating system that will rate court of civil appeals and supreme court judges on a scale of zero to 100, on the basis of their support for expanding business liabilities. The Council and its rating system are being backed by the State Chamber of Oklahoma and local Chamber affiliates. 

The American Bar Association (ABA) weighed in on the federal judicial nominations that are languishing in the U.S. Senate. On June 20, ABA President Wm. T. (Bill) Robinson III sent a letter on behalf of the ABA to Senate Majority and Minority Leaders expressing concern over judicial vacancies and urging the Senate to vote on those pending appellate court nominees who have strong bipartisan support. 

The judicial selection commission sponsored by Senators Inouye and Akaka submitted to the senators a list of three candidates for an upcoming vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii. The vacancy is due to Judge David Ezra taking senior status on June 27.

Governor Abercrombie appointed Circuit Court Judge Richard Pollack to the supreme court. Pollack was one of five nominees submitted by the judicial selection commission. This was Governor Abercrombie’s second appointment to the supreme court of his eighteen-month tenure, and he may have the opportunity to fill a third seat on the five-member court.

Two of the three supreme court justices up for reelection face challengers in the Republican primary. One justice’s opponent is running to “expose the corrosive influence of big business on the court,” while the other justice’s opponents “want to restore integrity to the court.” The third justice up for reelection faces a Democratic challenger in the general election.

The house judiciary committee tabled by a 13-12 vote a measure calling for merit selection of the state’s appellate judges, and it is unlikely that it will come up again before the legislature’s summer recess. Supporters credit trial lawyers and anti-abortion activists who oppose the measure with blocking its consideration.

The proposed 2012 platform of the Iowa Republican Party calls for state legislators to impeach judges who recognize a right to same-sex marriage and supports eliminating the role of the state judicial nominating commission in selecting judges and requiring senate confirmation. The platform will be voted on a the party convention.

After the governor failed to make a judicial appointment within the 30 day limit, the judicial selection commission made the appointment from its list of well-qualified nominees. The governor had selected the same nominee, but he was two days late in doing so.

Invoking what is known as the “Thurmond Rule,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that no votes would be allowed on nominees to the federal courts of appeals until after the November election. Nominees to the district courts will continue to be considered until at least early September.

The judicial selection commission sponsored by Senators Inouye and Akaka submitted to the senators a list of three candidates for an upcoming vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii. The vacancy is due to Judge David Ezra taking senior status on June 27.