Should judges be viewed as philosopher-priests? Has the New
Mexico Supreme Court failed to see the value of having them be connected to the communities
they serve during election years? If attending a political event can affect their decision making skills, what other types of activities could also biases their judgment on legal
issues. Should judges be place in monasteries the minute they are elected and secluded
from everyone in their community or even their family and friends. After all if
something they hear or someone they speak to at a political event can affect
their ability to make sound judgments than surely a family member, lawyer, or
even a friend would have a better chance of doing much more harm.
The Supreme Court must think that judges have very poor
abilities when it comes to making decisions on their own if so little exposure
to politically active individuals can have such a profound effect on their
ability to make decision on factual information. They must truly be weak and
flawed if a politically active individual can force them to make decisions on
court cases based solely on what other people think or say.
I believe that anyone who can pass the bar exam and practice
law for three years or someone who can meet and marry a person of good
character or someone who can raise children and develop a successful home life
while developing a successful career in the field of law cannot be that easily
influenced by the views of someone they meet at a political activity. The New
Mexico Supreme Court has it wrong and should do away with their rule that keeps
judges from attending political events. The rule was created as an overreaction
to a few flawed individuals.
The rule allows rich private individuals in the community to
have far more access to those judges than the people the judges serve in the
community. I believe this limited exposure to people does have a profound
negative affect on judges and their judgment when it comes to cases. I believe
that lawyers and rich business leaders are allowed to influence the behavior of
judges by the mere fact that the events judges do attend are solely attended by
those individuals.
Judges only see middle class and poor people in their
courtrooms and at their worst and lowest point in life. How could this not
affect how they view those individuals? How could that not affect their
judgment when it comes to cases before them? The New Mexico Supreme Court
should either do away with this rule or force all judges into monasteries at
the point when they are elected to the bench.
