NCJ Number
95146
Date Published
1984
Length
130 pages
Annotation
This handbook divides the judicial nominating process (using a nominating commission) into seven aspects and discusses each aspect.
Abstract
First, a preliminary organizational meeting allows commissioners to address many of their problems and concerns. The meeting can inform commissions about their responsibilities in the selection process and serve as a forum for rulemaking. Second, commissioners may act to increase the number of qualified applicants for a judicial vacancy. Active recruitment of candidates and publication of a notice of vacancy will enable commissions to recruit the best candidates. Third, commissioners should identify evaluative criteria to be used in the selection process. For example, all judges must be of a suitable age, in good health, impartial, industrious, and socially aware. Fourth, commissions should use a three-step process to identify the most qualified candidates: preliminary screening, investigation, and selection. Fifth, commissions should adopt systematic interviewing procedures to aid them in conducting fair and comparable interviews. Sixth, a fair system of voting should be chosen so that commissioners can fulfill their responsibilities both to the public and the appointing authority. Seventh, commissioners must fulfill three ethical obligations at each stage of the process: they must keep abreast of commission activities, read all relevant materials, and attend every commission meeting and application interview. Chapter appendixes are included, as are 3 tables, approximately 40 references, and a sample ethics rule.