Category Archives: judicial elections

“Grant Helped Anti-Gay Marriage Effort”

August 29, 2011, 9:25 pmcampaign finance, judicial electionsRick Hasen

AP: “IOWA CITY (AP) — Federal grant money awarded to a social conservative group to provide marriage counseling also helped pay some of its operational expenses while it was leading an anti-gay marriage campaign, according to grant documents obtained… Continue reading

“Judicial commission is next in line to tackle court incident”

August 29, 2011, 9:19 pmchicanery, judicial electionsRick Hasen

Wisconsin: “”It’s very sad, and it’s turned what was once one of the most respected Supreme Courts in the country into a joke.”

“Reciprocity, Denial, and the Appearance of Impropriety: Why Self-Recusal Cannot Remedy the Influence of Campaign Contributions on Judges’ Decisions”

August 29, 2011, 7:02 amcampaign finance, campaigns, conflict of interest laws, judicial electionsRick Hasen

Tom Susman has posted this draft on SSRN (Journal of Law and Politics). Here is the abstract: The system of privately financed elections of judges in most states across the country has long been controversial, with both the scholarship and… Continue reading

Justice Prosser Won’t Recuse in Campaign Finance Case in Which One Side is Represented by His Recount Attorney

August 23, 2011, 8:52 amcampaign finance, conflict of interest laws, judicial electionsRick Hasen

Here.

Should Justice Prosser Have Recused Himself in Voting on the Wisconsin Collective Bargaining Case?

August 22, 2011, 10:22 amcampaigns, conflict of interest laws, judicial electionsRick Hasen

That’s one of the arguments made in this NY Times editorial. I disagree with the Times board on this issue. If we are to have judicial elections at all, they are so that there is some measure of accountability of… Continue reading

“A Recusal Required”

August 18, 2011, 9:37 pmconflict of interest laws, judicial electionsRick Hasen

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel offers this editorial. It begins: ‘Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser should recuse himself from a case pending before the high court involving a lawyer whose firm did work for the justice during an expensive recount… Continue reading

“Special prosecutor named in Prosser/Bradley altercation”

August 15, 2011, 8:47 pmethics investigations, judicial electionsRick Hasen

The latest from Wisconsin.

“Prosser’s recount got ample funding; Lawyer who worked on justice’s behalf has case pending before court”

August 13, 2011, 8:01 pmcampaign finance, judicial elections, recountsRick Hasen

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports. In all, he raised $272,887 for his recount efforts. The fundraising was conducted in April and May. More than $75,000 went to the Troupis Law Office, which is headed by Jim Troupis and has a… Continue reading

“ABA urges clear rules on judicial recusal”

August 9, 2011, 7:29 amconflict of interest laws, judicial electionsRick Hasen

The National Law Journal reports.

Judicial Retentions Election Conference

August 2, 2011, 8:05 amjudicial electionsDan Tokaji

The two-day conference will take place at the University of Denver on August 11-12.

Judge Silberman Acquitted of Bribery

August 2, 2011, 7:58 ambribery, judicial electionsDan Tokaji

The LA Times reports here on the verdict in the case, in which Judge Harvey Silberman was accused of bribery for allegedly offering to pay an opponent’s filing fees if she would drop out of the race.

“A Plea for Reality”

July 29, 2011, 11:23 amjudicial electionsRick Hasen

Roy Schotland has posted this 2009 article from the Missouri Law Review on SSRN. Here is the abstract: Legend has it that a long-ago Chief Justice of Texas said, “No judicial selection system is worth a damn.” This view has… Continue reading

“How are State Chief Justices Chosen?”

July 27, 2011, 4:05 pmjudicial electionsRick Hasen

An NCSC backgrounder.

“New Poll: Confidence in Wisconsin Supreme Court Plunges”

July 23, 2011, 9:23 pmjudicial electionsRick Hasen

Justice at Stake issued a press release about this new poll it commissioned of Wisconsin voters. Though the press release highlights the lack of confidence, I found something else in the survey noteworthy. The survey asked some questions pointing out… Continue reading