Pa. could become a national outlier in how it elects appellate judges. Here’s why experts are worried.

[Disir]

HARRISBURG — A proposal moving through the GOP-led Pennsylvania legislature could soon make the state an extreme outlier in the country by allowing lawmakers to exert more control over the state Supreme Court and other appellate courts.
The measure, which could be before voters as soon as May, calls for abolishing statewide elections for appellate court judges and replacing them with races in partisan districts determined by lawmakers and redrawn every 10 years.
A 50-state review by Spotlight PA and Votebeat, as well as interviews with judicial and academic experts, found only two other states — Illinois and Louisiana — employ such a system, which has increased partisan campaign fights and given special interests and dark money groups more of a foothold to affect the outcome of races.

Pa. could become a national outlier in how it elects appellate judges. Here’s why experts are worried. (inquirer.com)

I don't like judicial elections. Hell, I don't even like the concept of retention voting. The vast majority of people have zero idea who they are and what the hell cases they have had unless it's a high profile case OR they have put you in jail or some other such nonsense.

 

[Polishprince]

HARRISBURG — A proposal moving through the GOP-led Pennsylvania legislature could soon make the state an extreme outlier in the country by allowing lawmakers to exert more control over the state Supreme Court and other appellate courts.
The measure, which could be before voters as soon as May, calls for abolishing statewide elections for appellate court judges and replacing them with races in partisan districts determined by lawmakers and redrawn every 10 years.
A 50-state review by Spotlight PA and Votebeat, as well as interviews with judicial and academic experts, found only two other states — Illinois and Louisiana — employ such a system, which has increased partisan campaign fights and given special interests and dark money groups more of a foothold to affect the outcome of races.

Pa. could become a national outlier in how it elects appellate judges. Here’s why experts are worried. (inquirer.com)

I don't like judicial elections. Hell, I don't even like the concept of retention voting. The vast majority of people have zero idea who they are and what the hell cases they have had unless it's a high profile case OR they have put you in jail or some other such nonsense.

I think there is a lot to be said for this proposal, IMHO.

Out of the 7 members of the PA Supreme Court, 4 are from Far Left Allegheny County, 2 are from Philadelphia, and only 1 is from the civilized section of the state.

District based elections would be a lot more likely to create a Supreme Court that looks a lot more like Pennsylvania.

 

[Disir]

HARRISBURG — A proposal moving through the GOP-led Pennsylvania legislature could soon make the state an extreme outlier in the country by allowing lawmakers to exert more control over the state Supreme Court and other appellate courts.
The measure, which could be before voters as soon as May, calls for abolishing statewide elections for appellate court judges and replacing them with races in partisan districts determined by lawmakers and redrawn every 10 years.
A 50-state review by Spotlight PA and Votebeat, as well as interviews with judicial and academic experts, found only two other states — Illinois and Louisiana — employ such a system, which has increased partisan campaign fights and given special interests and dark money groups more of a foothold to affect the outcome of races.

Pa. could become a national outlier in how it elects appellate judges. Here’s why experts are worried. (inquirer.com)

I don't like judicial elections. Hell, I don't even like the concept of retention voting. The vast majority of people have zero idea who they are and what the hell cases they have had unless it's a high profile case OR they have put you in jail or some other such nonsense.

I think there is a lot to be said for this proposal, IMHO.

Out of the 7 members of the PA Supreme Court, 4 are from Far Left Allegheny County, 2 are from Philadelphia, and only 1 is from the civilized section of the state.

District based elections would be a lot more likely to create a Supreme Court that looks a lot more like Pennsylvania.

But, does it need to?

Law doesn't care where you are from. They don't represent the people.