Category Archives: judicial elections

Breaking: NC Supreme Court Deadlocks 3-3 Over Whether Its Recused 7th Member Must Run in Competitive Election

May 6, 2016, 7:14 amjudicial electionsRick Hasen

Today’s order noting the 3-3 split leave the lower court ruling in place, and prevents what looked like a way for the Republican legislature to try to stop a Republican justice from having to face a competitive election this… Continue reading

“The Long Shadow of Bush v. Gore: Judicial Partisanship in Election Cases”

May 5, 2016, 1:17 pmBush v. Gore reflections, judicial electionsRick Hasen

Michael Kang and Joanna Shepherd have posted this draft on SSRN (forthcoming, Stanford Law Review). Here is the abstract: Bush v. Gore decided the 2000 presidential election and is still the most dramatic election case of our lifetime, but cases… Continue reading

“Secretary of State to Bucher: ‘No need’ for election to replace judge”

May 4, 2016, 2:16 pmelection administration, judicial electionsRick Hasen

Palm Beach Post: The stage was set Monday for a bruising legal battle over the selection of a Palm Beach County judge when Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner made it clear that Gov. Rick Scott, not voters, should pick… Continue reading

WI John Doe Cert. Petition Raises Substantial Questions, But #SCOTUS May Not Bite

April 29, 2016, 8:08 amcampaign finance, campaigns, judicial elections, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

I have posted a copy of the redacted petition for cert. in the John Doe Wisconsin case. Never before have I seen a cert. petition with even parts of the questions presented redacted. The redactions make it difficult to… Continue reading

“Prosecutors ask U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Doe decision”

April 28, 2016, 10:54 amcampaign finance, judicial elections, Supreme CourtRick Hasen

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm on Thursday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a decision by Wisconsin’s high court to shut down an investigation of Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign and conservative groups backing him. Chisholm and… Continue reading

“Did Act 10 affect spending in Wisconsin Supreme Court race?”

April 11, 2016, 7:41 amcampaign finance, judicial electionsRick Hasen

Jason Stein for the Journal-Sentinel: In Tuesday’s election, labor-backed candidate JoAnne Kloppenburg lost a race for the Supreme Court in which her side in the contest was badly outspent. The Greater Wisconsin Committee, the liberal group backing Kloppenburg, spent less… Continue reading

“Rebecca Bradley beats JoAnne Kloppenburg in high court race”

April 6, 2016, 7:22 amjudicial electionsRick Hasen

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: State Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley was elected to a 10-year term Tuesday, overcoming a challenge from Appeals Court Judge JoAnne Kloppenburg and keeping the job Gov. Scott Walker appointed her to in the fall. Boosted by heavy… Continue reading

“Outraged by Kansas Justices’ Rulings, G.O.P. Seeks to Reshape Court”

April 1, 2016, 4:16 amcampaigns, judicial electionsRick Hasen

Must-read Erik Eckholm NYT: Partisan conflict over courts has erupted in many of the 38 states where justices are either directly elected or, as in Kansas, face periodic retention elections, without an opposing candidate. As conservatives in Washington attempt to… Continue reading

“A Feisty Jewish Judge Fights Her Way Through a Bitter Race in Wisconsin”

March 30, 2016, 2:55 pmjudicial electionsRick Hasen

The Forward on JoAnne Kloppenburg.

“Rebecca Bradley, JoAnne Kloppenburg signal political leanings”

March 28, 2016, 8:16 pmcampaign finance, judicial electionsRick Hasen

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: The candidates for state Supreme Court are largely mum about their views on key cases, but they have given clear signs showing incumbent Rebecca Bradley lines up with conservatives and challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg with liberals. Bradley has repeatedly… Continue reading

“Philip Morris to SCOTUS: Don’t revisit corporate money in judicial elections”

March 28, 2016, 3:58 pmcampaign finance, campaigns, judicial electionsRick Hasen

Alison Frankel for Reuters: If the Supreme Court is interested in revisiting the issue of campaign contributions and the appearance of judicial bias, it has a vehicle. In January, Illinois state court class action plaintiffs who won a $10 billion… Continue reading

NC Justice Recused in Case Involving His Own Reelection

March 17, 2016, 4:34 pmjudicial electionsRick Hasen

Here is the order via Michael Weisel. Here is my earlier coverage.

“JoAnne Kloppenburg stayed on case involving group that opposed her”

March 15, 2016, 8:44 amcampaign finance, conflict of interest laws, judicial electionsRick Hasen

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: In her two bids for the state Supreme Court, JoAnne Kloppenburg has criticized as too weak an ethics rule that says political spending on its own isn’t enough to force a judge off a case. But as an… Continue reading