Posted by
NOTLEGALROADKILLYET on Monday, September 04, 2006 3:55:39 PM
The G-T continued today with its profile of a
great judge.
This judge is easily the most qualified judge to be chief judge in the 4th District, but that will never happen. It turns out that he has leporasy as far as the chief justice of the state supreme court is concerned. More accurately, he is a Republican!
Here in Colorado, we have a strange system of selecting our chief justices, a system which ensures that the position is held by a partisan. The chief justice is elected by a majority of his/her fellow justices, and holds office only so long as he/she commands a majority.
Currently, we have 5 Dems and 2 Reps on the court, which means we have a partisan Dem as chief justice. For that ratio to change, Beauprez must be elected to two terms, and possibly another Republican after him. If Ritter is elected, several Dems will retire and be replaced with younger Dems, making Owens' term meaningless. Shakes will never be chief judge of the 4th District BECAUSE chief judges are appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of the chief justice.
The one thing that could/would change that is the proposed Term Limit initiative for appellate and supreme court judges which I am supporting. The current crop has disgraced themselves with their partasanship and need a graceful way out.
I have no idea what Bob Beauprez' position is on judicial term limits. Something tells me I will find out fairly quickly, though, lol.
Anyway, enjoy the article. I did.