Got to love comments like: "Following the arraignment on the charges last week, Mr. Orie, who represented his sisters at the hearing, criticized Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. and likened the prosecution to a "Mafia hit." "
But to veer away from the Orie family to a larger question, should we even be electing judges? Especially beyond the local CP level? They are not to "represent" contituents, they are to apply the law. Besides, obscene amounts of money are spent electing judges that most voters have never even heard of, and likely will not remember after the election. Even at the local level over half million dollars was spent last year for NorCo Common Pleas judges, let alone higher statewide races. Go ask the average person on the street to name ONE judge (esp a non-CP judge). Ask the average voter what the difference is between a Commonwealth and Superior Court Judge is. If they can't answer either of the above, how do they go about electing one? Well, a month before the election, the interchanges along Route 22 get plastered with yard signs (never in anyone's actual yard !)and maybe a blast of junk mail. And then your average voter who probably couldn't even tell what the difference between a Commonwealth vs Superior Court Judge, or know how to distinguish one's qualifications from the other, goes to vote for the "political" candidates on the ballot and then sees he/she should also vote for a judge. Eeny,meeny, miney, mo....is this a way to select a judiciary?
Food for thought. Of course, this would require a change to the PA Constitution to do anything about it, so likely will never happen.
I have long believed that appointing judges simpley takes the politics out of the hands of the people. But I'm beginning to think appellate judges should be either appointed or drawn from different regions in the state, depending on population. It is next to impossible to find good information about these candidates at election time.
The sad thing is after all the money spent, you still get poor judges. Lets be honest the lawyers running to be judge are crappy attorneys who want a comfortable government gig and to be treated like a God.
If they were successful attorneys they would not want to be a judge.
A judge is a lousy lawyer who has political friends. Hell, I mean when was the last time Craig Daly even read a law book or brochure.
No offense to Craig, he is no worse then the other players on the bench.
4 comments:
Got to love comments like: "Following the arraignment on the charges last week, Mr. Orie, who represented his sisters at the hearing, criticized Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. and likened the prosecution to a "Mafia hit." "
But to veer away from the Orie family to a larger question, should we even be electing judges? Especially beyond the local CP level? They are not to "represent" contituents, they are to apply the law. Besides, obscene amounts of money are spent electing judges that most voters have never even heard of, and likely will not remember after the election. Even at the local level over half million dollars was spent last year for NorCo Common Pleas judges, let alone higher statewide races. Go ask the average person on the street to name ONE judge (esp a non-CP judge). Ask the average voter what the difference is between a Commonwealth and Superior Court Judge is. If they can't answer either of the above, how do they go about electing one? Well, a month before the election, the interchanges along Route 22 get plastered with yard signs (never in anyone's actual yard !)and maybe a blast of junk mail. And then your average voter who probably couldn't even tell what the difference between a Commonwealth vs Superior Court Judge, or know how to distinguish one's qualifications from the other, goes to vote for the "political" candidates on the ballot and then sees he/she should also vote for a judge. Eeny,meeny, miney, mo....is this a way to select a judiciary?
Food for thought. Of course, this would require a change to the PA Constitution to do anything about it, so likely will never happen.
Election of judges is absolutely the right of the people. Political appointment simply furthers the aims of the party in power.
With elected jurists, at least the people are living with the choice they made, rather than the choice put upon them by a sleazy pol.
I have long believed that appointing judges simpley takes the politics out of the hands of the people. But I'm beginning to think appellate judges should be either appointed or drawn from different regions in the state, depending on population. It is next to impossible to find good information about these candidates at election time.
The sad thing is after all the money spent, you still get poor judges. Lets be honest the lawyers running to be judge are crappy attorneys who want a comfortable government gig and to be treated like a God.
If they were successful attorneys they would not want to be a judge.
A judge is a lousy lawyer who has political friends. Hell, I mean when was the last time Craig Daly even read a law book or brochure.
No offense to Craig, he is no worse then the other players on the bench.
Fluffy LaRue
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