Long a taboo subject within the profession, judges or magistrates bullying lawyers continues to be a problem in courtrooms, and more needs to be done to stamp it out.
Political commentators have expressed concern that Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s decision to appoint former staffers to a committee that helps select provincial judges could politicize the courts.
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Appointing individuals who may have links to the party in power is not necessarily troublesome, as long as the process emphasizes legal knowledge and fairness, and not partisan considerations.
The right to a fair trial means cutting the funding of cultural reports will simply shift the burden. Lawyers will find other ways to put the same information before a judge.
Federal courts can be high-pressure environments, even for judges.
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The retired judge says the judiciary doesn’t ‘do justice’ but follows the law and the facts, which doesn’t always mean a sympathetic or compassionate ending.
Court decisions based on a judge’s discretion rather than the letter of the law are increasingly common. But this risks undermining some basic liberties.
Is justice – and are the justices – blind to partisan politics?
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The ‘most divided’ Supreme Court ever may have been in 1941, when seven of the nine justices were New Deal supporters appointed by the same president, Franklin D. Roosevelt.
A police officer pulls over and tickets a delivery person in the New York City borough of Queens on March 22, 2023.
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Research shows police officers issue more traffic tickets and judges impose more fines when their city gets the money and when the budget is tight.
Janet Protasiewicz is sworn in as a state Supreme Court justice at the Wisconsin Capitol on Aug. 1, 2023.
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Impeaching a recently elected Wisconsin Supreme Court justice for conduct neither criminal nor corrupt would negate the people’s votes – and strike a blow at judicial independence.
Mac McClung of the Philadelphia 76ers dunks the ball during the 2023 NBA All Star AT&T Slam Dunk Contest on Feb. 18, 2023, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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The Australian Law Reform Commission report recommends major changes to the way judges are appointed and educated, and supports an independent body to investigate allegations of misconduct.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas sits with his wife, conservative activist Virginia Thomas, in October 2021.
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Lower federal court judges follow a formal code of ethics, but this does not apply to Supreme Court justices, leaving potential conflicts of interest unchecked.
Although the legal landscape is changing, bias still slows career advancements for women and people of color.
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A new study reveals a reliable pathway to make U.S. courtrooms – and senior-level positions – more diverse.
Prince Misuzulu, second from the left, attends the provincial memorial service for his mother, the late Mantfombi Dlamini, at the Khangelakamankegane Royal Palace in Nongoma, in May 2021.
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When judges, legislators, and policymakers neglect the foundational dynamics of indigenous customs, they worsen conflict between indigenous laws and state laws.
The New York Knicks’ Obi Toppin goes up for a slam during the NBA dunk contest on Saturday, February 19, 2022, in Cleveland, Ohio.
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Unlike in most countries, US Supreme Court justices enjoy life tenure. Some legal scholars believe that centuries-old custom, meant to protect judicial independence, no longer serves the public.
Is it possible to have a jury whose members are unbiased?
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A video of Ahmaud Arbery was widely seen and shared by the citizens who could be called on to judge the accused killers. The issue was recently argued before the Supreme Court.
Lifetime tenure has pushed the average age of judicial nominees down as presidents appoint younger justices in hopes they will serve for many decades.
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Unlike in most countries, US Supreme Court justices enjoy life tenure. Some legal scholars believe that centuries-old custom, meant to protect judicial independence, no longer serves the public.
In a survey of over 200 judges in NSW, a quarter said they received threats on their lives and nearly a third reported experiencing trauma from the daily exposure to violent crimes.