BLACK JUDGE IN AMERICA - A STATISTICAL PROFILE - A SPECIAL SOCIETY REPORT

• NCJ Number: 13511
• Journal: Judicature Volume: 57 Issue: 1 Dated: (JUNE-JULY 1973) Pages: 18-21,24-25
• Author(s): C WILDERASHMAN A
• Editor(s): A ASHMAN
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 6 pages
• Corporate Author: American Judicature Soc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

TABULATED RESULTS OF 167 QUESTIONNAIRES SENT TO BLACK JUDGES, DETERMINING BACKGROUNDS, CURRENT POSITIONS, EARNINGS, PHILOSOPHY AND CAREER ASPIRATIONS.

Abstract

A SURVEY, SENT TO 286 BLACK JUDGES IN LATE 1971 AND EARLY 1972, WAS RETURNED BY 167, AND THE RESULTS WERE TABULATED. IT WAS FOUND THAT MOST JUDGES OBTAINED THEIR POSITIONS BY APPOINTMENT, AND THAT 51 PERCENT SAT ON THE BENCH OF COURTS OF LIMITED JURISDICTION. ALTHOUGH MANY WERE BORN IN THE SOUTH, FEW HOLD JUDGESHIPS THERE. THE PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE OF JUDGES WAS SURVEYED, AND IT WAS FOUND THAT MOST HELD EITHER JUDICIAL, OR GENERAL OR CRIMINAL PRACTICE POSITIONS. SEVENTY-EIGHT PERCENT HAD RECEIVED BOTH A BACHELOR'S AND LAW DEGREE, AND 30 PERCENT HAD CLOSE RELATIVES IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION. MOST JUDGES CONSIDERED THEMSELVES LIBERAL OR MODERATE, AND MOST (93 PERCENT) INDICATED A DESIRE TO REMAIN ON THE BENCH.