Citizens United: A Threat to Fair Courts

High Court Hears Citizens United

Hillary the MovieThe U.S. Supreme Court held an extraordinary hearing in the case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, Justice at Stake has issued a statement warning that a negative ruling could open a "new floodgate" of special interest spending in state Supreme Court elections. To see the full statement, click here.

Citizens United has gained enormous public attention in recent weeks. You can read the latest media reports in Gavel Grab. Updates today include a C-SPAN audio of today's hearing, as well as the latest articles and commentary.

In July, JAS filed a Supreme Court brief signed by 20 reform groups, saying that a negative ruling in the Citizens United case could trigger an election spending war in which companies, unions and other groups could tap directly into their treasuries.  The New York times has dubbed such a scenario a "disaster for democracy." To see Justice at Stake's brief, click here, or read our press release describing the brief.

Salary Trends for Federal Judges

Salary Trends for Federal Judges

Salary levels for federal judge have been a contentious issue, particularly in the halls of Congress. Ever since 1989, when congressional and judicial salaries were linked, judges have seen their real pay fall sharply, when compared with inflation. To see charts outlining what has happened to federal judicial salaries, see this new Justice at Stake resource page.

Letter to Michigan High Court

 
Brennan, JAS Urge Recusal Reform
 
Citing rising spending on judicial elections and a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, two national legal affairs groups—Justice at Stake and the Brennan Center for Justice—have urged the Michigan Supreme Court to strengthen the state’s rules governing when judges must step aside in cases involving campaign supporters.
 
“Strong and effective recusal rules are central to ensuring that courts remain accountable to the law instead of political pressure,” said the groups’ letter, which also praised Michigan’s justices for their leadership in initiating a review of the state’s recusal rules.  To read the letter, click here. Or you can read the press release..

JAS Cited in CNN Report

JAS Cited in CNN Report

A CNN report, “Buying Justice,” looks at court reforms in the wake of the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Caperton v. Massey. The video, below, quotes Bert Brandenburg, executive director of Justice at Stake, and Adam Skaggs of the Brennan Center for Justice. To learn more about the CNN report, and other stories on Caperton, visit Gavel Grab, Justice at Stake’s daily online journal, or visit our Caperton resource site. To read the transcript, click here. (PDF)

In Memory of Judge Sandra Otaka

 In Memory of Judge Sandra Otaka

Justice at Stake is saddened to lose one of its board members, Cook County Circuit Judge Sandra Otaka, who passed away June 6.   She was a third-generation Japanese-American whose mother and grandparents were held in U.S. internment camps during World War II.  As a law student, she worked with a legal team to overturn the conviction of Fred Korematsu, a Japanese-American shipyard worker jailed in 1944 for failing to report to an internment camp.  Judge Otaka was the first Asian American Circuit Court judge to be elected to the bench. She was well-known in Chicago and national Asian-American circles, but served with only one national organization—the Justice at Stake Campaign.  She cared deeply about justice, and worked especially hard to promote diversity on the bench.  We miss her dearly, and extend our sympathies to her family and friends.  Her obituary can be found here.

Supreme Court Watch: the Next Justice

Sotomayor Is First Latina Justice

The United States Senate's 68-31 confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor concludes  months of public debate, Senate hearings, and a favorable vote by the Senate Judiciary Committee.  To stay updated, read news and commentaries on Gavel Grab, Justice at Stake’s daily online journal.  Justice at Stake’s “Supreme Court Watch” resource page also provides background on media reports and special-interest group activity in support of, and opposition to, Judge Sotomayor’s nomination.

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We are creating a new web site. For the next few months, please use this site to access Justice at Stake content. You can visit our old site for materials, but expect delays.