Litigation

Judiciary ?Under Attack,? IA Chief Justice Says

By Peter Hardin

Chief Justice Mark S. Cady of Iowa, continuing a speaking tour, says the state’s judicial branch is “under attack.”

Justice Cady said efforts to remove state Supreme Court justices for their controversial marriage ruling in 2009 threaten Iowa’s independent judiciary, KCRG-TV reported.

Explaining the more public role that he and fellow judges have taken, Justice Cady said, ?This branch of government is under attack.? He added, ?We find ourselves in the midst of cries from government officials of impeachment. I believe it was necessary for me to address these matters, and stand up and defend the role of the court in our society.?

On Election Day, Iowans voted to unseat three justices over the decision that permitted same-sex marriages. Now, some state House legislators are talking about seeking impeachment of the four remaining justices. Events in Iowa have led to these other changes in the news:

• When a screening commission begins interviewing applicants next week for the three state Supreme Court openings, there are plans for the interviews to be streamed online, according to an Ames Tribune article.
• The commission has posted online writing samples by the applicants and their answers to questionnaires, Radio Iowa reported.
• The state’s highest court, meanwhile, has slowed its work since the departure Dec. 31 of the three ousted justices.

Full post as published by The Gavel on January 20, 2011 (boomark / email).