judgesonmerit.org

An editorial in the Wisconsin State Journal expresses a fear that is increasingly heard in states where judges are elected: “Highly politicized elections and costly campaigns for Supreme Court seats have raised doubt about the justices’ ability to remain independent from partisan influence.”

This editorial comes on the heels of a controversial high court ruling in a tax case that involved parties who had contributed to recent election campaigns of sitting justices or their opponents. Although there are no specific allegations of bias or improper conduct, the question posed by the editorial reflects a growing public concern about the influence of campaign contributions: “Did Wisconsin get the best, impartial justice it could find, or did well-financed interest groups get the most partial justice their money could buy?”

The newspaper thinks that it’s high time in Wisconsin for Merit Selection of judges:

The partisan influence in the past two Supreme Court elections, and the impact on the public’s faith in impartial justice, are just a glimpse of what’s in store for Wisconsin unless the state reforms the way it chooses justices.

Merit Selection removes fundraising from the judicial selection process and goes a long way to restoring public confidence in the courts. We echo the editorial’s conclusion: “It’s time for merit selection.”

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