Martin is right: pick NC judges based on merit, not politics

Mark Martin, chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, wisely used his opportunity to address members of the state’s Bar Association recently in Asheville. Martin, a Republican, sounded a call for merit selection of judges, something he would like the General Assembly to do through a constitutional amendment.

“It’s a good government issue,” Martin said, “not a political one.” His view was a recommendation of the North Carolina Commission on the Administration of Law and Justice, which has been studying the judicial branch.

He’s right, of course, even though the members of his own party in the General Assembly have done all they could, and are trying to do more, to make judicial elections more political. They’ve moved to make judicial races partisan and to weaken Gov. Roy Cooper’s authority in appointing judges.

Martin would have an independent panel evaluate those who wanted to be judges and rate them, and then have a government authority appoint them. There then would be periodic retention elections where judges would face up or down votes from the people based on their performance.

Martin’s right in principle, though he’s not about to say judges should be appointed by the governor, which they should be.

Alas, the chief justice may have good sense on his side, but the Republicans on Jones Street aren’t with him.

This story was originally published June 29, 2017 at 10:46 AM with the headline "Martin is right: pick NC judges based on merit, not politics."