Georgia’s system for protecting its residents from rogue judges is in peril.
To balance this year’s budget, the General Assembly significantly cut public money for programs that administer judicial discipline and judicial training for the state’s 1,700 judges.
The cuts are impeding investigations of judges accused of corruption and limiting training for those who sit on the bench, including the hundreds of Georgia judges who are not attorneys.
Only after receiving a strongly worded letter last week from state Supreme Court Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears did the General Assembly decide against a Senate plan to wipe out virtually all state money for training judges.
The Judicial Qualifications Commission, which investigates complaints and punishes errant judges, is already one of the most slimly staffed in the nation. Commission members say they are now so short of money that they have halted some investigations.
Robert Ingram, a commission member "Right now, we have got judges who have serious charges against them that we can’t investigate."
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Policing of judges gets less funding
To balance this year’s budget, the General Assembly significantly cut public money for programs that administer judicial discipline and judicial training for the state’s 1,700 judges.
The cuts are impeding investigations of judges accused of corruption and limiting training for those who sit on the bench, including the hundreds of Georgia judges who are not attorneys.
Only after receiving a strongly worded letter last week from state Supreme Court Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears did the General Assembly decide against a Senate plan to wipe out virtually all state money for training judges.
The Judicial Qualifications Commission, which investigates complaints and punishes errant judges, is already one of the most slimly staffed in the nation. Commission members say they are now so short of money that they have halted some investigations.
Robert Ingram, a commission member "Right now, we have got judges who have serious charges against them that we can’t investigate."
Full Article and Source:
Policing of judges gets less funding
Judicial Qualifications got themselves in this pickle by dismissing almost every complaint that comes before them. Consequently, people came to the realization that if they weren't going to do their job, why even have them?
ReplyDeleteIf the public were to see some results for the money spent to the Judicial Qualifications Commission already, the public would stand behind the commission.
ReplyDeleteFrankly, we don't see much difference between the Commission and the judges they are supposedly investigating.
Just another excuse to not discipline corrupt judges.
ReplyDeleteOh, this is another really bad news item and a flashing neon sign for judges with personal agendas who should be removed from the bench:
ReplyDeleteOPEN SEASON ON SOCIETY
(Gone Fishing: judicial discipline and judicial training)
The judicial commissions should prove their worth.
ReplyDeleteThus far, we've not seen much out of them --- except for what's going on in PA.
This sounds like an excuse!
ReplyDelete