Recent Fair-Courts Articles

Oklahoma’s legislature will be asked to bar the state Supreme Court from reviewing the constitutionality of state laws. For more, see Gavel Grab.  

A federal appeals court has ruled against public release of video from the historic 12-day trial over the constitutionality of California’s ban on same-sex marriage. See Gavel Grab for details.

A Philadelphia Daily News editorial, headlined "Money and justice don't mix," strongly endorsed merit selection of judges and cited Justice at Stake. See Gavel Grab for details. 

A New York Times editorial strongly praised a robust new Tennessee rule governing recusal of judges who get campaign cash, and it suggested the model deserves emulation. For details, see Gavel Grab.

Tennessee’s governor, House speaker and Senate speaker announced their proposal for a constitutional amendment to legitimize the state’s merit selection process. For details, see Gavel Grab.

Tennessee state Sen. Mae Beavers withdrew her bill to block judicial review of laws enacted by the legislature, after it came under fire from both political parties. Read Gavel Grab for more.

The Supreme Court won’t hear arguments from a conservative watchdog group that is seeking recusal of Justice Elena Kagan from the widely watched health care law case. For more, see Gavel Grab.

Tennessee has become the second state, after New Hampshire, where lawmakers are considering proposals to prohibit  judicial review of legislation. Read Gavel Grab for more.

Two state Supreme Court justices who face ethics questions, Wisconsin's Michael Gableman and Pennsylvania's Joan Orie Melvin, have declined to recuse from hotly disputed cases. Find details in Gavel Grab.

Former Attorney General Edwin Meese III and ABA President William T. Robinson III have joined sides to sound an alarm about the bedrock importance of adequate court funding. For details, see Gavel Grab.

A Wisconsin State Journal editorial, reflecting on a new ethics controversy facing Justice Michael Gableman, voices outrage over the “dysfunctional state Supreme Court” and calls for adoption of merit selection. Read Gavel Grab for more.

Democratic State Rep. Kelda Helen Roys of Wisconsin, an attorney who is running for Congress, has circulated a resolution seeking the removal of state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman. For more, see Gavel Grab. 

Justice at Stake hailed the appointment of Steven Gonzalez to the Washington Supreme Court, where he has become the first Mexican American justice to serve in the state’s history. Read Gavel Grab for more. 

Justice at Stake and the Brennan Center for Justice have praised the Tennessee Supreme Court’s decision to strengthen that state’s judicial recusal rules. See Gavel Grab for details.

The Montana Supreme Court has restored a century-old ban on direct corporate campaign spending, citing a passage from Citizens United, which struck down corporate bans. See Gavel Grab.

Wisconsin Justice Michael Gableman is the target of ethics complaints seeking to reopen a controversial case concerning state workers' collective bargaining rights.  See Gavel Grab.

Chief Justice John Roberts defends two colleagues from demands that they not hear the health care case. See Gavel Grab.

A high-level political spat has resulted in 11 judicial vacancies in Essex Superior Court, and in turn, a judge’s directive to begin halting civil and family court trials there for now. See Gavel Grab for more.

In a draft report, an Illinois task force on campaign finance reform includes public financing of judicial elections as an option for the state to consider. Learn more from Gavel Grab. 

A flood of special interest cash in judicial elections, legislative attacks by anti-court partisans and budget shortfalls are putting enormous pressure on impartial state courts, Justice at Stake and a JAS partner write. Read Gavel Grab for more.

The Supreme Court is poised to take on the role of a major player in next year’s elections, having agreed to decide a trifecta of white-hot, highly partisan issues that all involve the federal government’s power. See Gavel Grab for details.

Retiring Indiana Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard vowed to "beat the bushes" in efforts to get a diverse list of nominees for the all-male court's new vacancy. Learn more from Gavel Grab.

A Republican filibuster of nominee Caitlin Halligan for a federal appeals court judgeship triggered a scorching Washington Post editorial and concern that partisan wars over judicial nominations are back. See Gavel Grab for details.

One day after two senators introduced a bill for TV cameras at the Supreme Court, a Senate panel heard testimony by prominent advocates on both sides. See Gavel Grab for more.