The American legal system, it forms the backbone of our nation, protecting we the people from government abuse and our fellow citizens. It seems that the stalwarts of our legal system, the protectors of our legal system, the protectors of our civil liberties should be beholden to no outside interests.
I am of course referring to those black robe masters of the law, the American judge. Judges,should be clear to enact judicial proceedings in a courtroom without having to take account any factors besides the facts on hand. In the United States that is simply not the case, we have in our midst a phenomena that threatens the sanctity of the judgehood and our legal system, the phenomena of Judicial Elections.
Judges preside over court proceedings, they are often educated individuals whom possess a passion for the law and have the ability to preside over courtroom without biased concerning the case at hand. Judicial elections jeopardize this unbiased that I believe is the hallmark of a great judge, ruling on a legal matter using the facts at hand.
Elections, as is the purpose of elections, makes you beholden to those whom elect you, in the United States people who stand for office are elected not by those whom they represent but to those who donate to them, Judicial elections are no exception to this rule.
Companies have realized that judicial elections garner relatively little attention an is an extremely cost effective way to win legal cases or defeat legislation that could harms said companies commercial interests.
Judges must be appointed, the tenure of all judgeships should not be life long yet sufficiently long enough to outlast any elected official that could appoint them. Elections, force judges to make promises that they are expected to rule on, such promises and the rulings to follow could easily conflict with what a judge should do depending on the particularities of a case. While more democratic on the surface judicial elections harm the sanctity of our Republic and the liberties of its citizens.
Through common sense practices, we the people, could craft the American legal system into what it was intended to be, a shining beacon of law that relies on just defenders, just rulings, and the rigorous appreciation of facts.
Demos Rhino 