Party Over for Missouri Judges

Date: February 18, 2008
By: Jessica Miller
State Capitol Bureau
Links: SB757

Intro: The Governmental Organizations Committee was urged to throw out the partisan election plan for Missouri Circuit, associate circuit, and appellate judges.

Jessica Miller has more from Jefferson City.

RunTime:0:00
OutCue:SOC If passed, a new "non-partisan" plan for Missouri judges would require all candidates to run without the affiliation of a specific political party. Jefferson County Judge Darell Missey testified in support of the bill, saying our current partisan system divides Democrats and Republicans to be an "us and them" battle to election.

Actuality: NONPART4.WAV

Run Time: 00:15

Description: Our society is dived up between us and them, and maybe that's just the way it just is. But that is not the way the bench should be, in fact it's the way it can't be, because we're the ones who make decisions between us and them.

If the legislation is passed, the plan will not go into effect until the 2010 elections. Reporting from the State Capitol, I'm Jessica Miller. _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Intro: A Missouri Senate Committee was urged to remove politics from the selection of local judges. Jessica Miller has more from the State Capitol RunTime:0:00
OutCue:SOC

A Jefferson County Judge urged the Governmental Organizations committee to throw out partisan elections for judicial offices in Missouri.

Circuit Court Judge Darrell Missey says partisan elections force independent party candidates to change their political ideals and mis-represent themselves to get elected.

Actuality: NONPART3.WAV

Run Time: 00:12

Description: Judges are supposed to be impartial, they're supposed to be independent, they're supposed to be fair minded. They're not supposed to bring their policy positions to the bench, they're just supposed to rule on the facts and the law. Thats common sense and all of us know it.

Sponsor of the bill and committee member Kevin Engler stressed the importance that judges are asked to rule non-partisan, why not be elected non-partisan as well?

No one testified in opposition to the bill, and the Committee took no immediate action.

Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Jessica Miller.

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