May 27, 2008

WSJ: History Made in Tennessee With Demise of Judicial Selection Plan

The Wall Street Journal points out that Tennessee is the first state ever to dump "merit selection" of judges after adopting that system. The WSJ's enthusiasm for the demise of the Judicial Selection process in Tennessee may be a bit early - the legislature could still revive the anti-democratic method of selecting judges next year. Here's one voter hoping they don't.

Tennessee's state constitution says judges for the state supreme court, Court of Appeals and Court of Criminal Appeals are to be "elected" by the qualified voters of the state. "Merit selection" is one of those euphemisms that is meant to make you believe the opposite of reality. Judges appointed under a "merit selection" plan are not, in fact, selected on merit - but on their connections to political insiders and the trial bar. The will of the people of Tennessee is an afterthought.