"How many people know anything else about the judicial candidates?" said Jaime Regalado, professor emeritus of political science at Cal State L.A. "How do you know they're doing a good job?"Judges hold considerable sway over the lives of those in their courtrooms. But the average voter either has no clue how to assess judicial candidates or spends little time doing so.
Most of California's roughly 1,600 Superior Court judges are first appointed by the governor. Those judges appear on the ballot only if they are challenged for a new term. Other judicial elections take place if a judge retires or resigns very close to an election. (Slots on state appeals courts and the Supreme Court are filled solely by appointment.)
Trial judges earn a base salary of $178,789 and serve for six years.
On Tuesday, Los Angeles County voters will weigh in on six judicial races, half of which involve sitting jurists. Strict ethics rules limit what the candidates can say, mostly stripping the races of the sort of controversy that makes voters take notice.
"Judicial races done right should be clean," said San Diego Superior Court Judge David M. Rubin, who's president of the California Judges Assn. "You don't want something that will sully the reputation of the bench."
◼ Our Judge Voter Guide for California’s November 4th General Election will help you cut through the rhetoric, election propaganda and biased media coverage of the campaigns. This guide ranks every aspect of a candidate’s record according to experience, integrity and commitment to community. - Craig Huey/judgevoterguide.com via Tim Donnelly
How important is it for you to vote for the right judges?◼ California judicial elections, 2014 - Judgepedia
Judges sitting on California courts may be incompetent, corrupt or lazy.
Even worse, many are political opportunists with a political agenda. They are “judicial activists.” A judicial activist legislates from the bench. Instead of strictly interpreting California law, these judges make the laws. Instead of applying the law to facts, they impose their own values on us all.
It is the voters of California and the legislatures that are supposed to make laws. Not judges. In fact, these judges ignore the law in favor of their own liberal, left-wing, anti-family agendas.
Legislating from the bench, these judges destroy or weaken constitutional protection, votes by the people, family values, marriage, religious liberty and economic freedom. SEE MORE at the link
This year, voters have the opportunity to choose whether or not to retain certain justices of the supreme court and the courts of appeal. Such retention elections only occur every four years.◼ Robyn Nordell's Conservative California Election Website
◼ CFRW Ballot Recommendations
◼ CAGOP Ballot Recommendations
◼ Tom McClintock Ballot Recommendations
◼ Unofficial Guide to Judges on the Ballot
