Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen G. Breyer have suggested the court reconsider its landmark 2010 campaign finance ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. See Gavel Grab for more.
"With business and interest groups pouring more and more money into state judicial elections ... the public can't be faulted for concluding that donors are getting what they pay for, namely favorable treatment from judges who are supposed to be impartial."
Tony Mauro, USA Today opinion column
Tony Mauro, USA Today opinion column
Recent Fair-Courts Articles
In celebration of Black History Month, Justice at Stake honors the great achievements of African Americans who played a vital role in American legal history. To view the new JAS web page, click here.
"When political forces seek to seize control over our courts, it is no exaggeration to say that our democracy is at stake," a former Republican state senator warned about an attack on merit selection in Florida. Find out more from Gavel Grab.
After a filibuster was cut off, the Senate voted 94-5 to confirm Judge Adalberto Jordan to the Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, making him the first Cuban-American to sit on the bench. Read more in Gavel Grab.
Federal Judge Fred Biery of Texas, whose banning prayer at a high school graduation sparked controversy, said in an opinion and order about settlement of the case that he'd gotten death threats. See Gavel Grab for more.
Two Wisconsin Supreme Court justices say it’s time to consider some form of merit selection for the Badger State’s highest court. Learn more from Gavel Grab.
A New York Times editorial laments that campaign finance trends in the wake of the Citizens United ruling make "a mockery" of disclosure. See Gavel Grab for more.
A three-judge panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed a lower court’s rejection of California’s ban on same-sex marriage, called Proposition 8. Read Gavel Grab for more.
At an American Bar Association meeting, Justice at Stake and a partner legal reform group called for more rigorous judicial recusal rules to protect fair and impartial courts. For more, see Gavel Grab.
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.
