Coalition for Impartial Justice | Impartial Courts Minnesota

MN firms want to change judge elections

sarah — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 03:13:10 +0000

Corporations and law firms are lining up to change the way judges are elected in Minnesota. Read the article here: MN firms want to change judge elections

“Let Minnesota voters decide how best to select judges” Pioneer Press

admin — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 04:56:41 +0000

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

House leadership pushes committee chair to hold a hearing on judicial retention bill

admin — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 04:50:24 +0000

“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

Moving Onward….SF 70 Passes

admin — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:25:43 +0000

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.

“Emmer And Seifert Both Wrong” True North Blog

admin — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:52:30 +0000

“It’s time that true leadership be demonstrated by Republican candidates on this issue. Minnesota may be a state littered with some pretty idiosyncratic laws, but until the White decision we had arguably the best system for judicial elections this country has ever known. We need to make sure that we place judicial impartiality above partisan bickering. And we need to make sure that judicial elections don’t degenerate into the circus they have become in other states.” To read more…

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

Judges Need to Base Decisons on Law, Not Next Election

Tom — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:33:28 +0000

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.

Study Shows Money Tainting State Judge Elections

Tom — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:12:39 +0000

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.

Think-tank presidents shared perspective on improving judicial elections

Dave — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:26:51 +0000

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.

March 7 Star Tribune: support for Judicial Retention Elections

Dave — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:13:16 +0000

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.

Winona Daily News Commentary

Dave — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:49:31 +0000

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