NAACP Calls Upon State Legislatures to Support Judicial Independence

WHEREAS, judicial independence is from special interests on the decline, especially in states that elect judges; and

WHEREAS, the chronic low voter turnout in many states has opened the door for special interest groups to influence the outcome of judicial elections in favor of like-minded judges; and

WHEREAS, the NAACP recognizes the importance of not overlooking the role of state courts due to the inordinate amount of cases seen in comparison to federal courts; and

WHEREAS, the fact that a judicial nominee is a minority, racial or ethnic does not mean that he or she necessarily represent the ideas of that particular community; and

WHEREAS, individuals believe that the addition of a racial or ethnic minority judge automatically diversifies the views of a court, when, in reality, it is the ideology of a judge that diversifies a court; and

WHEREAS, public financing for judicial campaigns has already passed through the North Carolina state legislature.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the NAACP support the use of public financing for judicial campaigns; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP join with approved groups of similar interests to address the problems of the influence of money on the judiciary.