Litigation

West Virginia Reform Commission

By Mike Petro

Articles in the West Virginia Record and the Charleston Daily Mail reported on, and Wednesday June 17 and Thursday June 18 that a reform commission is being created in West Virginia, with former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O?Connor as the chairperson. The nine-member independent commission, created by Governor Joe Manchin, will address questions of judicial reform, including the question of whether there is a better way to select State Supreme Court Justices.

Manchin said he hopes a report will be ready by November. The state’s  judicial system has come under fire  because of the Supreme Court case Caperton v. Massey, which originated in West Virginia. It has raised questions over whether large campaign contributions are compromising justice in the state. 

In a recent poll done by Mark Blankenship Enterprises, it was found that two-thirds of the citizens in West Virginia prefer different ways to elect State Supreme Court Justices. Justice O?Conner specifically mentioned her preference to a judicial system similar to the kind that Arizona has. Contrary to West Virginia, in which candidates are chosen through competitive elections,  Arizona has a merit-based system with periodic retention elections.

Full post as published by The Gavel on June 26, 2009 (boomark / email).