Have you ever questioned what qualifies a person to be selected as a judge who’s responsible for many life-altering decisions?
Ever wondered how detailed and transparent the vetting process is—and whether the jurist is invested in the overall well-being of the community which he or she serves?
A new proposal by a gubernatorial commission would guide how state lawmakers go about making their selections, while getting input from their local communities.
The Virginia State Bar conducts a thorough review of judicial candidates for the state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. But only a few counties and cities have a formal review process on a local basis for juvenile, circuit, and general district courts. So the Governor's Commission on Integrity and Public Confidence in State Government is recommending the statewide adoption of a more uniform model.
Commission Co-Chair and former Congressman Rick Boucher says many members of the Fairfax legislative delegation are already involved in this proactive vetting process. He says by using this model, the public can be assured that quality screening is in place. Boucher adds: that's not to say that he doesn't believe Virginia has high-quality judges, but this would be one way to make sure that political favoritism doesn't dominate their selection.