Recent Fair-Courts Articles

A new ad by the Ohio Republican Party claims that Democratic Supreme Court candidate Bill O’Neill “sympathizes with rapists.”  Gavel Grab has details.

A Federalist Society report looking at controversial rulings by the Florida Supreme Court said "there does not appear to be a pattern of unprincipled decision-making by any of the justices." Read Gavel Grab for more. 

Opponents of a Nov. 6 ballot measure to change the way top judges are chosen in Missouri have begun airing a TV ad urging, “Keep politics out of Missouri’s courtrooms.” Find out more from Gavel Grab.

In North Carolina's Supreme Court race, a super PAC supporting incumbent Justice Paul Newby has spent more than $700,000 on television ads. Read Gavel Grab for more.

 A USA Today editorial, citing data compiled by Justice at Stake, harshly condemned a new kind of judicial election politics that “corrupts the neutrality of courts.” For more, see Gavel Grab.

Judge Sam Ervin IV has begun airing a TV ad accusing outside groups of trying to “buy a seat” on North Carolina’s Supreme Court. He is running against Justice Paul Newby, an incumbent supported by a super PAC. Read Gavel Grab for more. 

Two former state supreme court chief justices, who sit on the JAS board, have called the increased politicization of judicial retention elections “troubling.” Learn more from Gavel Grab. 

Leaders of a drive to remove Iowa Supreme Court Justice David Wiggins "make a mockery of the courts," a Des Moines Register editorial contends. Read more at Gavel Grab.

The American Judicature Society warned that massive automatic spending cuts would have “far-reaching and catastrophic” consequences for the federal courts. Find out more from Gavel Grab.

The Louisiana Supreme Court has ruled that Justice Bernette Johnson is entitled to be the court’s next chief justice. She will be the first African American to hold that position. Learn more from Gavel Grab.

The Senate’s judicial confirmation process is “broken,” and holdups in filling judicial vacancies “have cost Americans dearly,” a New York Times editorial said in strongly urging reform. Read Gavel Grab for details.

Americans are witnessing “hard-fought, high-stakes, big-money” judicial races in at least four states this year. See Gavel Grab for more. 

Voters in judicial elections will have a valuable tool this fall in a handful of states where judicial performance evaluations (JPEs) are provided, Justice at Stake and two of its partner groups said on Tuesday. For more, see Gavel Grab.

The North Carolina Judicial Coalition, a super PAC supporting re-election of incumbent North Carolina Justice Paul Newby, has begun airing its first pro-Newby TV ad. See Gavel Grab for details. 

The campaigns for three targeted Florida Supreme Court justices have unveiled advertising touting the judges’ impartiality and urging a “yes” vote for retention.  Find out more from Gavel Grab.

Vacant federal judgeships, especially in several heavily Latino states, could provide significant openings for greater representation on the bench by Latinos, a national publication suggests. Read Gavel Grab for more.

TV ad spending for state judicial contests has already topped $7 million this year, JAS and the Brennan Center for Justice said on Thursday. Read Gavel Grab for details.

Defend Justice from Politics, a group supporting three Florida justices who are targeted for ouster, has begun airing a TV ad accusing “politicians in Tallahassee” of a “power grab.” For more, see Gavel Grab.

A New York Times editorial condemned the "attempted hijacking of what are supposed to be nonpolitical retention elections" for state supreme courts in Florida and Iowa. Read more in Gavel Grab.

The political landscape for an ouster drive against Iowa Justice David Wiggins is different, and less favorable, than two years ago when voters dumped three of his colleagues, the Washington Post reports. See Gavel Grab for more.

Three Florida Supreme Court justices who are targets of an ouster campaign over a few rulings in controversial cases pushed back vigorously against their critics on Friday. Gavel Grab has more. 

A new PBS report asks this question: “If justices have to raise campaign money can they remain impartial?” The broadcast cites data compiled by Justice at Stake. Learn more from Gavel Grab.

The National Organization for Marriage, which has spent thousands to help remove Iowa Supreme Court Justice David Wiggins in November, is sponsoring an anti-Wiggins ad. Check out Gavel Grab for more.

A grassroots group seeking to remove four Madison County, Ill. judges in an upcoming retention election has received the endorsement of Illinois Chamber of Commerce President and CEO. Read details in Gavel Grab. 

Proponents of a Nov. 6 ballot measure to change the way top judges are chosen in Missouri have announced they will not actively campaign for the measure. Learn details from Gavel Grab.