State Senator Julian Garrett has introduced a bill to make selecting a District Court Judge in uniform with the Supreme Court selection process. Senator Garrett tells KNIA News it was his goal to change the process at the Supreme Court level when he got into the legislature, which gives the Governor more nominations to the selection commission, which nominates judges to be appointed. Senator Garrett said he thinks the District Court nomination system is in need of the same restructuring, which is currently made up of a commission of a current judge, lawyers, and appointed members by the Governor.

“The judge would be removed from the commission, the Governor would appoint one extra member, and the commission would elect their own chair, which is what they do at the state level. I just think it opens things up a little bit more so that the general public and the average person, through the appointments by the Governor, has a little more opportunity for some input.”

Garrett also said opponents of the bill say it takes a local decision of the courts more out of the hands of experts and local citizens, but the value of being able to select judges who will follow the law and set aside opinions, and it lessens the influence of judges on the commission. For more information, tune in to today’s Let’s Talk Indianola.