Opinion: The commission that evaluates judges’ performance must better explain their assessments. Especially if voters are relying on them to toss judges.
By Abe Kwok || Arizona Republic
Voters booted three Maricopa County Superior Court judges in 2022.
The most stunning surprise in the Nov. 8 election occurred way down ballot, where voters gave three Maricopa County judges the boot.
What are we to make of it?
For one, that surveys of attorneys, jurors and witnesses about judges’ performances are more important than we realized. And that judges have been put on notice that their temperament could cost them their jobs.
But the election results also suggest that the votes an independent commission takes, using the surveys as a basis, on whether judges meet standards or not may carry more weight with voters than intended (more on that in a moment).
And that the performance-review process itself could use greater transparency and explanation.
