By Quinton Lister, Legal Assistant
Gaining experience in the legal field has opened my eyes to how important the position of judge really is in the United States of America (and in Utah, where I work currently).
A judge can decide your future for you! Even more than that, they can decide your family’s future for you as well. Granted there are several levels of the judicial system which are to act as a check on judges who are misusing, even abusing, their authority. Also, the other branches of government are supposed to act as balances so a judge cannot get too carried away. So, there is a means for legal reform within the United States, both at an institutional level and on a “case by case” level; clearly, it is of utmost importance, in my opinion, that we put decent people in the position of judge in the first place.
Beyond just being incompetent, a bad or corrupt judge can perpetuate injustice and immoral practices. I am not trying to be overly dramatic; it is just becoming clear to me how essential it is to have good judges at every level, whether that be in justice court, district court, or the appellate courts. I do not care what their ideology is, what I care about is if they will be reasonable and treat everyone fairly. Each person living in the United States deserves a good judge (if for no other reasons than 1) that’s the judge’s only job; and 2) we all pay the taxes that pay the judge’s salary), a judge who will be honest and impartial in their decisions. Everyone deserves a judge who will hear their case and not make a judgment based on popular thought, peer or political pressure, or personal bias.
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