Joshua Groban judge Democrat or Republican is not the way California’s appellate and Supreme Court seats are decided. Voters in the upcoming election will weigh in with a thumbs-up or thumbs-down on whether to retain judges in those posts, including Joshua Groban on the California Supreme Court.
Thomas Goethals On Retention Votes
Thomas Goethals, a former state appeals court judge, put it plainly: "It is a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down." He added, "Nobody can run against you."
If voters give a judge a thumbs down, the governor nominates that judge’s successor. These seats are not decided in contested races, even though some states use competitive elections for appellate and state Supreme Court judges.
California’s Judicial Screening
Goethals said these positions are supposed to be bipartisan, and that judges are supposed to let the chips fall where they fall based on the facts and the law. Appellate judges review the work of state court judges through briefing and argument, while the California Supreme Court is the ultimate word on state laws.
The screening process begins before any retention vote. The Governor’s Office looks over a prospective appellate court judge’s background, the California State Bar reviews the candidate, and then the person goes before the Commission on Judicial Appointments. That commission includes the chief justice of the state Supreme Court, the state attorney general, and the presiding justice of the appeals court district where the judge would work.
Joshua Groban And The Vote
Superior court judges serve 6-year terms, while appeals and state Supreme Court judges serve 12-year terms. Goethals said of controversial decisions, "Judges are human beings," and added, "You don’t like hearing someone is mad enough to try to run you out of the county."
For readers looking at Joshua Groban judge Democrat or Republican, the point is narrower than a party label. California’s system asks voters whether to keep a judge in office, then hands the appointment process back to the Governor if voters reject that judge. Goethals also said, "The process is much more thorough," and, "And the chances of a horrible mistake being made are pretty remote."
