PLS 200 Lecture : PLS NOV 26.docx
Document Summary
What can be done with bad judges: impeachment, alter jurisdiction, change funding/raises. Needed for law clerks, pensions, raises, etc: pack court(dilute the court, fdr tried, change selection process. At founding: most judges in states selected for lifetime appointments, courts made by state governor or legislatures. Judges for life keeps them away from politics. #2 courts are becoming puppets to legislature because of nominations(principal-agent theory) #3 judges are stupid, lazy, ignorant: 1900-ish: non-partisan elections. States experimented but it didn"t work very well. Elections become less competitive: 1913: merit selection. Nominating committee produces list of acceptable candidates. 1980-2000 there were 327 retention elections; only 6 of. Information corresponding to graph(c ) the judges were not kept: legislative appts. 2 states: governors nominee confirmed- 13 states, non-partisan 15, partisan election 7, merit selection 13. Gregory wersal runs for associate justice of mn supreme court.
