Litigation

Reform Call: AL Justice ?Is not Blind?

By Peter Hardin

State Supreme Court elections have cost the most in the nation in Alabama in the past decade, at $40 million. “That’s a lot of special interest influence,” laments a commentary by John Archibald in the Birmingham News:

“Justice is not blind in Alabama. But Alabama has to squint to see justice.”

The commentary quotes Charles Hall, communications director for Justice at Stake,  describing Alabama’s unique status: “When it comes to problems in judicial elections, Alabama is in the big leagues,” he said.  “The judicial campaigns cost more than anybody else’s, and they are more partisan.”

Accordingly, Alabama has a judicial system “that is less trusted and less trustworthy,” Archibald writes. He says that state Supreme Court justices have “been bought and sold for years.” He goes on to give three case examples of highly questionable conduct by judges or judicial candidates, and varying kinds of action taken against them.

“Alabama desperately needs to reassess the way it picks judges,” Archibald implores. He lists some of the options, including non-partisan judicial races, public financing of judicial campaigns, nominating panels to screen candidates, retention elections and limits on campaign contributions. He concludes:

“If we want true justice, we can change.

“Until then, just pray that Alabama justice will cover her eyes.

“Watch her, though. She peeks.”

You can learn more about judicial reforms from Justice at Stake’s issues page on our state courts.

Full post as published by The Gavel on August 09, 2010 (boomark / email).