A plan backed by Tennessee judges that would change the ethics panel that disciplines jurists is at odds with arguably the judiciary’s biggest critic in the legislature — Sen. Mae Beavers.The differences in opinion came out this week at a debate before the Tennessee Press Association between Beavers, R-Mt. Juliet, and Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Jeff Bivins.
Beavers has long complained that the ethics board, known as the Court of the Judiciary, is dismissing too many citizen complaints against judges accused of serious misconduct.
The judges are backing legislation that would make it more difficult to dismiss a complaint against a jurist. But they still insist that the vast majority the disciplinary board be made up of judges.
The majority of members now are judges appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court.
“I just think it looks bad when you have judges appointed by judges to judge judges,” Beavers said at the debate.
Beavers wants fewer judges on the panel and thinks they should be appointed by the speakers of the House and Senate.
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Senator Beavers and Judges at Odds Over Ethics Panel
Go Senator Beavers! You are right on!
ReplyDeleteAdding a slight twist to what Yale law school professor Fred Rodell wrote during Hitler's rise to power when he published a book in 1939
ReplyDelete"The legal trade, in short, is nothing but a high-class racket. It is a racket far more lucrative and more powerful and hence more dangerous than any of those minor and much-publicized rackets ... Furthermore, the lawyers [and judges] - or at least 99 44/100 percent of them - are not even aware that they are indulging in a racket, and would be shocked at the very mention of the idea." (ref. page 10 of 1980 paperback edition of Woe Unto You Lawyers)
Whether or not lawyers and judges know that they are indulging in a racket, their victims know it.
I am pleased to see how tough Senator Mae Beavers is to stand up to her convictions! We're rooting for you, Senator Beavers!
ReplyDeleteMy hat is off to Senator Beavers!
ReplyDeleteSenator Beavers is a very brave woman, acting via common sense reasoning.
ReplyDelete“I just think it looks bad when you have judges appointed by judges to judge judges,” Beavers said at the debate.
She is aware of who the 'gatekeepers'are to the compaints.
In addition, the gatekeepers are judge and jury and who has authority outside of the protected walls to review the complaints?
The way it is now is a set-up to protect judges from the very people who pay their salaries and trust the court system.
If a system is failing, then it must be reformed or better yet terminated and set up a system that has the basis to work, a system that is balanced, a sysgtem that is FAIR to weed out the bad judges.
Thank you Senator Beavers for having the strength to stand up for what is right. And in this case, I believe you are right, your opponents are afraid of the truth.
I'm really pleased to see such a strong stand against judges judging judges.
ReplyDeleteKnowing how they cover up with uninvestigated "dismissals," I'd go even further: there shouldn't be any judges on the panel.
A senator with guts and a sense of what's right and wrong? It's hard to believe but very welcomed.
ReplyDelete