Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Court Rules Judicial Candidates Can Talk About Issues

5-30-2007

Court Rules Judicial Candidates Can Talk About Issues

In a victory for free speech, U.S. District Judge John Shabaz on Tuesday granted a permanent injunction that will allow judicial candidates to answer questions about their views on legal and political issues.

The state Code of Judicial Conduct had kept some of those running for places on the bench from responding to a questionnaire by Wisconsin Right to Life (WRTL). The district court found that the provisions were unconstitutional to the extent that they prohibited candidates from announcing their views.

James Bopp, Jr., lead counsel for the plaintiffs, praised the decision: "The U.S. Supreme Court has clearly stated that judicial candidates have a right to respond to questionnaires like this and that voters have a right to hear what they have to say.”

The case is Duwe v. Alexander.

Source: http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004738.cfm

 

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