State Chamber of Commerce to Rate Judges

[Midtowner]

The State Chamber of Commerce is creating a group called the "Civil Justice Council." The plan is for this group to release ratings on whether Justices and Judges in our appellate courts are "pro-business" or "anti-business." The concern is that the Chamber's aim here is to bully our courts into favoring business against individuals, insurance companies against injured folks, etc.

Gotta say the tactic worked in the legislature. Now, in the last place we can expect to have any sort of level playing field (that's not really all that level), the Chamber is again trying to corrupt another of our branches.

These sorts of ratings systems give voters very low-quality information. The voters don't actually read every single published appellate case opinion. Here's the big thing--most voters in Oklahoma are decidedly pro-business, or at least they call themselves that. But when you ask most Oklahomans whether they think the bank should actually have to be able to prove they own your mortgage before they take your house or who should insurance contracts be interpreted in favor of when there's an ambiguity, I'm pretty sure the Chamber would rate them as anti-business.

[okie52]

I would not care what the city, state or national chambers has to say. While I'm pro business I'm not for it at the expense of this country...the chamber, on the other hand, would sell it out in a heartbeat. Their support of illegal immigration is disgusting.

[Midtowner]

Hey.. if there's no one to stand up for multibillion dollar corporations which make the big bucks by hiring illegal labor and shipping American jobs overseas, how will we ever make it as a country?

I do support our *local* chambers of commerce though. They do really good and important work. The state Chamber? Not so much. The federal Chamber? It's anti-american.

I know almost no one would agree with me on this, but at least for the District Judges, I think it'd be best if they were elected only by lawyers who are members of that county's Bar association. You're not going to end up with big pro-plaintiff folks doing this as there are lawyers on both sides of just about every case. The insurance defense folks probably outnumber the plaintiff's lawyers, or so it seems.

We do have some absolutely horrible judges around the state who keep getting reelected because the electorate just doesn't know any better.

Small towns, I think do a much better job of supervising their judges--a much simpler task when you only have 1-2 judges in the county.

As for appellate judges, I think they should be appointed for life and should only be kicked out (as some have been) for something like bribery.

[okie52]

The OKC chamber is guilty of supporting illegals just like the state and US chambers.

Usually I'd support the chambers positions but now, as I've said, their positions/endorsements are meaningless to me.

As for the judges I really don't know the best path although I would be suspicious of attorney or chamber endorsements...unfortunately like most Okies I don't have the time to check them out.

[Midtowner]

As for the judges I really don't know the best path although I would be suspicious of attorney or chamber endorsements...unfortunately like most Okies I don't have the time to check them out.

Most attorneys aren't going to choose judges based on what you'd typically think of as political or judicial philosophy. In the trenches, those things don't matter an awful lot. I want someone who is predictable and understands both their powers and limitations.

I once had a family court judge order my client to feed their children meals with all four food groups in them. I guess she'd hold 'em in contempt if they fed the kiddos just ice cream for a snack?

We also want judges who aren't puppets of the D.A.'s office and actually require the state to carry their burden of proof and then are reasonable with the sentences handed down.

On the civil side, we want judges who understand the law and can apply it fairly. There are a number of outside political forces trying to change the judiciary and turn it into a politically accountable group, but thus far, even by restructuring the Judicial Nomination Commission, I think they have failed.

[SCOUT]

I want someone who is predictable and understands both their powers and limitations.
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This is all I want from the judiciary. The constitution is pretty clear. Stick too it.