More Judicial Reform in Florida
October 9, 2012
While the bid to oust three Florida Supreme Court Justices is getting the most attention, Florida voters will also have the opportunity to introduce more accountability into the judicial selection system under Amendment 5, which must win 60 percent of the votes cast to become law. The Sunshine State News has a good summary.
The main reform would be to require Florida justices to win Senate confirmation before taking office. Amendment supporter Rep. Eric Eisnaugle argues that the judiciary “needs to be independent in order to function properly” but that independence does not mean “unchecked power.”
Both Amendment 5 and the prospect that Florida voters may actually dump a State Supreme Court Justice or two for the first time ever provide yet more evidence that the foundations of “merit” selection are crumbling and that voters want judges who are more accountable, not more arrogant and insulated.
