Judicial Review of Johnson County
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The Judicial Review of Johnson County was established in 2006 with the long-term intent "to hold all judges throughout the state of Kansas accountable as elected officials to it’s (sic) citizens."[1] Additionally, the organization's short term goal is to educate the Kansas citizenry on the judicial philosophies of judges and justices standing for retention (at any given time).
Activism
In 2006, the group sponsored a Tenth District (Johnson County) ballot initiative that, if it passes on the November 2008 ballot, will significantly alter the district's method of selecting judges. Tenth District voters will answer the following question:
Shall the following be adopted? The present method of nonpartisan selection of judges of the district court in this judicial district by the governor upon nominations by a district commission and subject to retention in office by a vote of the voters shall be discontinued and there is hereby adopted in this judicial district the election of judges of the district court by the voters. YES or NO
If the question is adopted, then Johnson County will move away from using a merit selection-based system (which has been in place since 1977) to a system of electing judges.[2] If it fails, it would not be able to be resubmitted to Johnson County voters again for 8 years.[3]
Rival Group
A group of former judges, Johnson County Bar officials, and attorneys called the Johnson Countians for Justice have formed in order to thwart the efforts of Judicial Review of Johnson County, and to maintain the current system of judicial selection.[4]The group has drawn public support from the following organizations:[5]
- Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
- Johnson County Bar Association
- League of Women Voters of Johnson County
- Leawood Chamber of Commerce
- Mainstream Coalition
- Northeast Johnson County Chamber of Commerce
- Olathe Chamber of Commerce
- Overland Park Chamber of Commerce
- Shawnee Chamber of Commerce
Evidence of Agenda
Questionnaire Implies Social Agenda
A July 2008 Lawrence Journal News and Review opined that a judge retention questionnaire the group sent to Johnson County judges in 2006 "implied a certain social agenda." The questionnaire asked eight questions: two about the definition of marriage in Kansas, two about taxes and one each about the state death penalty, the rights of the unborn, assisted suicide and the definition of pornography.[6]
The questionnaire can be found here.
Justice at Stake support
Justice at Stake, a judicial activist group which advocates the advancement of merit selection in the American judiciary (among a number of other possible reforms), supports the efforts of Johnson Countians for Justice.[7]
