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There are basically two ways a person becomes a judge. A person is either appointed to the judgeship or is elected by the people. Arguments are made for both methods. Of course, most people agree that justice must be impartial and the selection of judges should be based on the person’s ability as a jurist, not based on politics. This would argue for a person being appointed. Some people argue that the public isn’t equipped to determine the most qualified candidate and candidates to elected judgeships can be heavily influenced by special interest groups.
But, the decisions judges make, especially appellate decisions, become law and can have a great impact on the public. This argues that the public should have the final say in selecting the judges that make these decisions. Some argue that the political beliefs of the person or persons making the selection will be reflected in the decisions that the appointed judge makes, so judges should be elected by the people.
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