Anti-judiciary ballot initiatives defeated
On November 7, voters in South Dakota and Colorado affirmed judicial independence by soundly defeating two ballot initiatives. In South Dakota, the so-called Jail4Judges initiative went down with nearly 90 percent of the vote in opposition. The ballot initiative, the “Judicial Accountability Initiative Law,” would have allowed people to seek criminal charges or file lawsuits against judges who they believe violated their rights. The initiative called for such charges to be heard by a special grand jury made up of registered voters or volunteers.
In Colorado, a proposal to place term limits on the state’s Supreme Court justices and Court of Appeals judges was rejected by the voters by a margin of 57 percent to 43 percent. The measure was opposed by current Gov. Bill Owens as well as the state’s three living former governors.
ABA President Karen J. Mathis praised both outcomes in a public statement, saying that “Fair and impartial courts are essential to democracy and protect our rights under the Constitution. The voters of South Dakota and Colorado reaffirmed the common sense of the country in defeating measures that would have had a devastating effect on the impartiality of our courts. ... The American Bar Association applauds their wisdom, courage and decisiveness.” Back to top
© 2006 American Bar Association
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