Keystone state blogger Dave Ralis weighs in this week with some strong arguments against a proposal in Pennsylvania to abolish judicial elections and give trial lawyers the upper hand in picking judges – a scheme known as “merit selection.”  
Lynn Mark, executive director of Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts counters that ending Pennsylvanian’s constitutional right to vote […]

Trial lawyer kingpin Melvin Weiss today admitted he engaged in a criminal conspiracy to pay kickbacks to frontmen who then agreed to serve as plaintiffs in class action lawsuits. Weiss will pay $10 million in fines and penalties and faces between 18 and 33 months in prison. 
Said Weiss: “I deeply regret my conduct and apologize to […]

It seems we’ve struck a nerve!
Justice at Stake has accused me of engaging in a “special interest arms race.”
Wow! When you’re bankrolled by hedge fund billionaire George Soros – ranked #33 on the Forbes 400 list with a net worth of $8,800,000,000 - that takes a lot of moxie.  But I understand their dilemma. 
Justice at […]

The special interest group bankrolled by George Soros, called Justice at Stake has been working feverishly to abolish judicial elections in states across America.  They argue that elected judges - who must compete for votes and contributions - can’t be independent, although they never offer any evidence to support this claim.  Nevertheless, they’ve been successful in enlisting many […]

Lisa Sturdevant of the Minneapolis Star Tribune is in high dudgeon over a “stalled judicial-selection reform bill” in the state legislature. But maybe Minnesota legislators just have a higher regard for the state constitution than Star Tribune reporters.
The Minnesota constitution declares that state judges “shall be elected by the voters.”
This simple requirement has always vexed […]

What’s the difference between a vulture and Dickie Scruggs? Scruggs’ wingtips will come off - and stay off for the next five years. That’s right, the famed trial lawyer and corporate giant-killer Dickie Scruggs shocked the legal world today by doing the right thing and pleading guilty. as does co-defendant Sidney Backstrom, to charges related to their attempt […]

The Wall Street Journal this week provided a shocking insight into the extent trial lawyers will go to manipulate the legal system to fill their already bulging pockets.
The story involves trial lawyer kingpin Dickie Scruggs, under indictment for trying to bribe Mississippi judge Harold Lackey. The Journal published the transcript of a phone conversation between […]

Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor took to the pages of Parade magazine recently pushing the theme that special interest money in state judicial races threatens to politicize judicial selection. But the fact is, judges themselves initiated the politicization of the judiciary.
These days, far too many judges seek to impose their own social or […]