Minnesotans for Impartial Courts

Let Minnesota voters decide how best to select judges – By Leo Brisbois

A recent commentary by Judge Margaret Marrinan was critical of efforts under way at the Legislature to protect public trust in Minnesota’s state courts (’How best to protect Rule of Law? Let the people choose judges’, March 14). Other states are having judicial elections politicized by special-interest concerns and large-money donors seeking undue influence. As retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor told a bipartisan gathering of state lawmakers last month, Minnesota will not be immune. Bills now before the Legislature (HF 224/SF 70) are reasonable responses to this threat.  View Full Story

“He knows my strong preference that we want to deal with this issue fully this year,” Kelliher said.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2010/03/house_leadershi.shtml

The Senate Finance-Judiciary Budget Division passed SF 70 (Rest) today on a vote of 4-2.  Thanks to Senators Foley, Betzold, Cohen and Higgins for their support.   Letters and calls thanking the senators who voted YES would be appreciated. The bill was referred to the Finance Committee.  Members include Senators Cohen, Frederickson, Anderson, Berglin, Betzold, Dille, Fischbach, Foley, Higgins, Metzen, Murphy, G. Olson, Pappas, Pariseau, Robling, Stumpf, Tomassoni, Vickerman, Wiger.  Thank you for your help in making calls and sending emails asking for their support. More details forthcoming.

http://looktruenorth.com/elections/governor/11747-republican-debate-leaves-important-question-unanswered.html

In a commentary in the Star Tribune, Dakota County Judge David Knutson argues for retention elections for judges. Knutson’s commentary was a rebuttal to an earlier piece by Hennepin County Judge Jack Nordby.

In the past decade, candidates for state judgeships raised more than $206 million, more than double the $83 million judges raised in the 1990s, according to the soon-to-be released study by the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law and Justice at Stake. Here’s the story from ABC News.

Mitch Pearlstein, President of the Center of the American Experiment, and Dane Smith, President of Growth & Justice, joined together in a March 7, Star Tribune Op-Ed  supporting retention elections over judicial races.  These organizations, one conservative and one progressive, are members of the Coalition for Impartial Justice Minnesota. 

The Star Tribune Editorial:  In judicial reform:  a vote for retention  talks about the all-star lineup of GOP and DFL supporters at last week’s House State and Local Government Operations Committee hearing and the reasons to get the Judicial Retention Amendment on the 2010 ballot.

League of Women Voters MN Commentary:  Support for Judicial Election Reform

On Thursday, March 4, the State and Local Government Operations Reform, Technology and Elections Committee voted 14 to 4 to pass House File 224 (Simon), the proposed constitutional amendment that would preserve the independence of Minnesota judges by creating a system of retention elections.

Committee members who voted to support H.F. 224 were Representatives Pelowski, Poppe, P. Anderson, Gottwalt, Hilty, Hornstein, Kahn, Kalin, Marquart, Nelson, Sanders, Simon, Sterner, and Winkler.  The bill was referred to the House Civil Justice Committee.  

What’s next?

• Hearing in the House Civil Justice Committee (date to be determined).
• Committee stops in Senate Rules and Administration and Senate Finance (dates to be determined).

 
What can you do? 

• Call  or email legislators who supported H.F. 224 in Government Operations and thank them for their vote.

House State/Local Government Operations Committee members 

• Call or email House committee members urging them to support H.F. 224: 

House Civil Justice Committee members 

• Call or email Senate committee members asking them to support S.F. 70: 

Senate Rules and Administration Committee Members 

Senate Finance Committee Members 

Find your legislator. 

Background:

The proposed constitutional amendment gives Minnesotans the chance to preserve the independence and impartiality of judges across the state.  The amendment would create a system in which citizens have the final say on whether a judge stays in office—while also providing voters with nonpartisan performance evaluations on each judge before Election Day.   

The Legislature decides whether Minnesota voters have the chance to change the state Constitution.  With the doors open for special-interest money in judicial elections, that means now is the time for lawmakers to act and put the amendment in the November 2010 ballot.