tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post633057449073385950..comments2024-03-13T14:53:25.892-05:00Comments on Advance Indiana™: Closer Scrutiny Of Daniels' Judicial AppointmentsGary R. Welshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15185079937305083438noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-276687066456348142007-11-27T08:27:00.000-05:002007-11-27T08:27:00.000-05:00Right on, AI! Daniels does not seem at all concer...Right on, AI! Daniels does not seem at all concerned with the quality of his judicial appointees. Instead, his focus is on how the appointment can help him hold onto the governor's office. <BR/><BR/>Case in point, I have heard about one appointment where he ignored the recommendation of the Judicial Nominating Commission regarding the replacement of a trial court judge in Northern Indiana and instead chose a less experienced but better politically connected appointee.<BR/><BR/>And look at the quality of his appointments here in Indianapolis. He appointed Dave Certo to finish Bradford's term. Certo has no real legal experience. He has been nothing but a political hack for most of his career, doing all kinds of things other than practicing law. The story now circulating is that he tried to make defense counsel argue first in closing arguments during his first trial (for nonlawyers, even second year law students know that the party bringing the case goes first in both opening and closing arguments).<BR/><BR/>Daniels is leaving a legacy alright - unfortunately, it is one the rest of us have to live with.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-84071012560141359292007-11-27T08:25:00.000-05:002007-11-27T08:25:00.000-05:00Steele testified at a marriage amendment hearing I...Steele testified at a marriage amendment hearing I attended a couple of years ago. His was the most inarticulate, rambling nonsense of the day. I can't imagine anything other than partisanship that would prompt the governor to appoint this guy to ANYTHING.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-49198947310996662032007-11-27T00:20:00.000-05:002007-11-27T00:20:00.000-05:00see www.USAjudges.comThe way around the problem is...see www.USAjudges.com<BR/><BR/>The way around the problem is during an election year. With enough reports, people won't allow a judge to remain on the bench.<BR/><BR/>USAjudges.com provides the public a much needed consumers report on judges. Data-driven by case numbers, report information is independently verified. More importantly, USAjudges.com bypasses state agencies long deemed ponderous, secretive and politically easy on errant judges.<BR/><BR/>http://www.ajs.org/ethics/pdfs/When%20confidentiality%20ceases.pdf<BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/>Ultimately the reader/voters are left with one choice. Making government absolutely transparent.<BR/><BR/> <BR/>Those wanting good government know their participation is the only choice and it's a choice good Americans choose.<BR/><BR/> <BR/>Results came quickly.<BR/><BR/> <BR/>Shortly before one election an attorney provided video information in the case of a judge by forwarding us a copy of a long ago shelved video demonstrating the judge playing computer solitaire during a child custody trial, as well as the original 11 page public reprimand, since reduced by Commission on Judicial Performance, (in a move benefiting only the judge), to a one page one page “Summary.”<BR/><BR/> <BR/>The judge was defeated in his bid for re-election. <BR/><BR/> <BR/>Transparency, and Verified reports are why attorneys, reporters and the public alike rely on USAjudges.com<BR/> <BR/>Or, as one businessman quipped,<BR/> <BR/>"A Dun and Bradstreet on judges - I like it!"<BR/> <BR/><BR/>The model is as follows:<BR/><BR/><BR/>WHAT: <BR/>USAjudges.com, a consumers report on judges, is the first data driven collection mechanism available to foster in-depth accountability based on judicial transparency. <BR/> <BR/>WHY:<BR/><BR/>USAjudges.com answers the public need for judicial transparency after the decades old pattern and practice of State Commissions on Judicial Performance consistently failed to protect the public from bad judges; or inform the public of good ones.<BR/> <BR/>HOW:<BR/>USAjudges.com functions as follows:<BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/>Attorneys and individuals create an extremely detailed, in-depth report on a particular judge. The low, $45.00 administrative fee is for administration verification purposes.<BR/> <BR/><BR/>Attorneys and individuals can purchase a report for $150.00. If no report exists, USAjudges.com will conduct their own investigation and report back within 10 business days. <BR/><BR/>WHO:<BR/>Who is responsible for governmental transparency? The public. Congress defaulted. And attorneys and individuals, including other judges, are responding. (Attorneys took to it immediately, E-mailing PDF’d copies of court transcripts.)<BR/> <BR/><BR/>There's a lot of satisfaction derived from a $45.00 report. Or, as one attorney we telephoned to verify said,<BR/> <BR/> "I felt so good you could have charged me double."<BR/> <BR/>Also, USAjudges finishes what reporters begin.<BR/><BR/> <BR/>In the case of Nebraska criminal court Judge Kristine Cecava, who refused to send an admitted child molester to prison because he was, short;<BR/><BR/>http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2006/05/25/local/doc4474ed34cdca3829136003.txt<BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/>USAjudges.com went a step beyond traditional media, which likewise did not report Judge Cecava was no maverick judge. USAjudges.com discovered Judge Cecava served as past president of the Nebraska Judges Association and, making her sentence stranger still; on the 'Task Force' to Protect Children – http://www2.csc.edu/eyh/speaker/speaker2000.asp<BR/><BR/> <BR/><BR/>As I said to the conference attendees at the 10th Regional District meeting of the American College of Trial Attorneys, "Protect children from whom? Her?<BR/><BR/><BR/>Ultimately, we are responsible for our government. The question then becomes do we act; or complain.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com