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The Birmingham News reports that the “relatively tranquil Alabama Supreme Court race turned last week toward more familiar territory of big spending, special-interest politics and attacks on the candidates.” What’s happening in Alabama should come as no surprise to those who watch state court elections.

The candidates are trading accusations about false and misleading polls and advertisments.  The amount of money spent on ads is steadily increasing, and an out-of-state group from Virgina, the same group that got involved in the 2007 Pennsylvania Supreme Court elections, is spending money to advertise for one of the candidates.  Gavel Grab has an interesting report about this ad.

This election is following trends set in other states where judges are elected in partisan contests. Fundraising records are broken almost immediately after they are set, and third parties, including out-of-state groups, are getting involved in the elections.  Does using this system to select appellate court judges make any sense?

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