Iowa’s Judicial Selection System Is Excellent,
Say Panelists, But It Could Be Even Better |
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 FIRST: A big thank you to all those who attended our Sept. 29 panel discussion – either virtually or in-person – on Iowa’s vaunted merit-based judicial selection system. We witnessed a fast-moving, provocative discussion on what works well and what needs work in the way we select judges to Iowa’s District Courts, Court of Appeals, and Supreme Court.
SECOND: If you missed this illuminating conversation, we have you covered. You can view it again right here on the Justice Not Politics Facebook page. Spoiler alert: Here are the standout takeaways: PRAISE: - Iowa’s merit-based judicial selection system is far superior to the political-style elections other states use to select their judges.
- The system mostly succeeds in weeding out unqualified candidates, either by the nominating commissions, the office of the Governor, or ultimately the people of Iowa.
- Transparency has strengthened Iowa’s selection system by providing the public with extensive information about each candidate, including their qualifications, writing samples, and live interviews with the Commission.
CONCERNS: - The partisan changes made to the State Nominating Commission by Gov. Reynolds and the Legislature in 2019 removed a Supreme Court judge as chair and added a member selected by the Governor.
- A lack of diversity exists among judges at all levels of Iowa’s court system. While gender diversity on Iowa’s courts appears to be improving, the overall lack of diversity is a concern, including as it relates to race and professional experience.
- The practice of private meetings between candidates for judicial nomination and members of the state and district nominating commissions was a hot topic, with panelists debating the merits vs. the downsides.
Kudos to our esteemed panelists for their participation and willingness to share years of experience and insight: Rachel Paine Caufield, Drake Professor of Political Science and nationally recognized scholar on judicial politics; The Hon. George Stigler, Retired Black Hawk County District Court Judge and former Chair of the 1B District Judicial Nominating Commission; Saffin Parrish-Sams, Partner, Parrish-Sams Luthens Law, PC and previous applicant for judicial appointment; and, Mark Kende, Drake Professor of Law, and Director of the Drake Constitutional Law Center. Also, a BIG thanks to Drake University Law School and the Drake Constitutional Law Center for co-sponsoring this event with Justice Not Politics. Over the weeks ahead, we’ll dig deep into several of these insights and explore the real-world implications for what we all are fighting to protect: fair and impartial courts in Iowa. In the meantime, share your thoughts about Iowa’s judicial selection system. For Fair Courts,
Justice Not Politics |
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