Judicial Chambers Shuffle?
Jane Ann Morrison’s column in today’s R-J discusses Judges playing musical chairs could leave taxpayers, voters standing.
Morrison takes issue with sitting judges filing for other open judicial seats. Of course, it is not uncommon for a sitting judge to file for a seat on a higher or different court. For example, the most recent additions to the Nevada Supreme Court, Justices Cherry and Saitta, held positions in the 8th Judicial District Court, at the time of their election.
Less typical is the situation of a sitting judge filing for another seat on the same court, as did Family Court Judge Sandra Pomrenze.
Pomrenze’s current seat, along with five others in family court, run on a different election cycle. However, the legislature is changing that, so those six seats are scheduled for an election in 2010, an off-year, for a four year term. If successful in her bid for on of the By running for one of the newly created family court seats, Pomrenze will avoid the need to run during the off year, which she, apparently, sees as a disadvantage.
Morrison dislikes sitting judges running for new offices, as, when successful, they leave the office open for gubernatorial selection. She doesn’t point out that a new, otherwise unnecessary, election will also be required.
Judge Pomrenze's opponent for the new seat, Jack Howard, questions the ethics of her decision.
I doubt any rules have been broken here, although I’ll let those more savvy about the election rules and judicial ethics make that decision.
But I do see this kind of maneuvering for the sake of political advantage as one of the inherent evils of selecting judges through election. If we force judges to be politicians, then we shouldn’t be surprised when they think and act like politicians.
