Comments on: Fair and balanced selection of West Virginia judges

By: Troy

Troy — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:13:52 +0000

Forget the other states. Do what works for W.Va. Try something original and out of the box.

I personally don’t mind the election process. I think some lawyers get frustrated because the public isn’t generally as informed as the attorneys would prefer. However, you could say that about any election. Lawyers are educated – and generally, – well read people. The public isn’t.

So the former supreme court justice – and her sycophant (Dennis Taylor) – want to take the decision making process away from the public. Period. This is what this is all about.

W.Va had better watch its back. The levelling winds of DCT Advisors are about to blow right through that valley.

By: Dennis Taylor

Dennis Taylor — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:55:32 +0000

Is Vent Line justice like vigilante justice? I predict more heads would roll after a few days of Vent Line justice than rolled during the entirety of the French Revolution. Let the Vent Liners eat poppy seed muffins, I say.

By: Dennis Taylor

Dennis Taylor — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:49:10 +0000

Pam, you can find summaries of what other states do here. Some mimic the federal system and have governors appoint judges, often based on recommendations from a nominating group. Such judges sometimes run in retention elections (an up or down vote by the public) after serving a certain amount of time. This is what former Justice O'Connor wants. Some elect judges in partisan elections, while others elect judges in non-partisan elections. Needless to say, no one uses the lottery approach favored by the first real democrats (small "d") - the ancient Athenians.

By: Dennis Taylor

Dennis Taylor — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:40:53 +0000

HK, you’ll find my answer in the next post. By the way, I’m not holding my breath waiting for the Independent Commission to adopt my recommendations.

By: Pam Haynes

Pam Haynes — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 03:48:53 +0000

I like this topic. Dennis, do you know the stats on other states as to how many elect their judges? And if they are not elected, what other options have you uncovered? (in addition to your suggestions)

By: Troy Body

Troy Body — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:59:20 +0000

Dennis, I am not following this. I’ve told you before, eating too many poppy seed muffins can backfire.

I think West Virginia judges should only be chosen via Vent Line. There….there in Charleston you get the intellectual scope, depth, originality, creativity and, quite frankly, political sophistication one hasn’t seen since the late 1920s in American journalsim.

Vent Line is the only way to go. These good people seem to have the pulse of W.Va. Is there a Vent Line committee on Vision Shared?

By: Hippie Killer

Hippie Killer — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:50:58 +0000

So what about Supreme Court justices?