Cathy Herrod writing Center for AZ Policy, 5 Minutes for Families (2/18/2011):
Every time judicial retention is on the ballot, CAP is flooded with calls and emails from people asking for information about the judges up for retention. For the last three election cycles, we’ve sent surveys with five questions on judicial philosophy to judges on the retention ballot only to have most judges refuse to respond.
This week, I testified on two CAP-supported bills to provide voters with more information on judges. SB 1482 would require the Commission on Judicial Performance Review to publish online a listing of appellate judges’ decisions and an electronic copy of the decisions. Posting this information in one easily accessible place for voters would shine light on what is currently a clouded and useless process for Arizonans.
SB 1472 would require the same Commission to publish information in the ballot publicity pamphlet listing the cases in which a judge’s ruling was declared unconstitutional and a brief statement of the reason why.
Additionally, the bill establishes an “open public forum” whereby individual citizens or organizations could file a ballot pamphlet statement with the Secretary of State advocating for or against the retention of a judge. The state would publish these statements in the publicity pamphlet similarly to the process for ballot measure arguments. The judge up for retention would also have the opportunity to file a statement for the publicity pamphlet.
I also testified in favor of changing our method of selecting judges from merit selection to a modified federal model where the Governor appoints and the Senate confirms judges.
