Texas Judges

I.

Texas judges are selected using partisan elections. In partisan elections, judges are chosen by their party affiliation. Some voters feel knowing a judge's party affiliation is important in making their decision. These voters like having an ideal of the fundamental & political philosophy of a potential judge. Republican judges tend to favor businesses and wealthy individuals while Democratic judges tend to favor labor unions and blue color workers.

Other voters feel a judge's party affiliation is not important. These voters feel there is not a "democratic justice" or "republican justice"Ð'...there is only justice. Personally, I feel it is somewhat important to know whether a judge is Republican or Democrat. While a judge is suppose to be unbiased in their decision, one must admit their personal views will come into play in some cases.

Judicial election campaigns strengthen the judiciary in a number of ways. First, judges have to meet people face to face in order to get their vote. This allows voters to become familiar with this individual and possibly get a feel for the judge as an individual. It also allows voters to put a face with the name on the ballot rather than electing a person with a popular name.

Judicial election campaigns also weaken the judiciary in a number of ways. First, there is always the possibility of corruption. Special interest groups and law firms can make contributions to a campaign if they know they will be in the courts. Secondly, good judges can be ousted while not so good judges can be voted in. Although a judge has been around for a long time and has good merit, another judge can get more votes than the "good merit" judge due to his party or personal affiliation.

While many voters feel a judge's party affiliation is pointless, this information is very important. While judges are suppose to judge in a neutral and nonpolitical way, times will come up when judges will have to use their personal views to judge a case.

II.

Opponents of the death penalty feel there is too much room for innocent people to be put to death. Former governor of Illinois, George Ryan, halted all execution due to the increase of innocent people on death row. Others feel that imprisonment for a long time is a more suitable punishment than death. They argue that life in prison is so detrimental to a prisoner that there is no need to end that person's life. Plus, by ending