(Ariz. Supreme) Court: Republican-backed judge nomination law unconsitutional
Source: Associated Press
The Arizona Supreme Court ruled Friday that a new state law changing the nominating process for appeals court judges is unconstitutional because it makes a fundamental change in the balance of power between a voter-approved nominating commission and the governor.
The high court said in its ruling that the law directly conflicts with the state Constitution and cannot be enforced.
Gov. Jan Brewer signed House Bill 2600 in April. The bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Justin Pierce of Mesa increased the minimum number of nominees for each appellate court vacancy to five from the current constitutional requirement of three. The changes affected a 1974 voter-approved constitutional amendment establishing judicial merit selection and setting up the Commission on Appellate Court Appointments to vet candidates and recommend them to the governor.
... The law was the latest attempt by Republicans to change the state’s voter-approved merit selection process.
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/free/20130913arizona-judge-nomination-law-struck-down.html
= new reply since forum marked as read
