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NCJRS Abstract

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NCJ Number:	73454

Title:	Who Shall Judge?

Corporate Author:	American Judicature Soc United States of America

Date Published:	Unknown

Sponsoring Agency:	American Judicature Soc Chicago, IL 60601-7401 Not Available Through National Institute of Justice/NCJRS Document Loan Program Rockville, MD 20849

Sale Source:	American Judicature Soc 180 N. Michigan Avenue Suite 600 Chicago, IL 60601-7401 United States of America Not Available Through National Institute of Justice/NCJRS Document Loan Program Rockville, MD 20849 United States of America

Language:	English

Country:	United States of America

Annotation:	Commenting that most Americans know the least about the third branch of government, the judicial system, actor E. G. Marshall discusses the merit plan for selecting judges.

Abstract:	The film combines cartoons, films of judicial system components, and history to describe the problems of the judge selection process in the United States and the merit plan proposed by the American Judicature Society. A typical election ballot is shown to emphasize the fact that few voters know about the qualifications of the judges they vote for in every election. The narrator points out that motives for judge selection are often less than laudable they include friendship, a reward for political contributions, or the avoidance of controversy. In contrast, the proposed merit plan consists of (1) a nominating commission to produce a list of qualified candidates, (2) executive appointment that is limited to the list of candidates selected, and (3) judge accountability to the public for performance. Effective disciplinary measures and adequate compensastion and retirement provisions are also important components of the plan. The film emphasizes that the judge is a key figure in the criminal justice system and that the court system needs public help and understanding.

Index Term(s):	American Judicature Society; Films; Judge selection

Note:	*This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. 16mm color film, 28mm in length, available for loan



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