RE: Whine not Wine Admittedly there are things that age well, and arguably even improve with the passage of time. Some cheese, a fine wine and a good scotch immediately come to mind. For that matter, so does Sean Connery. For most other matters age is not that benevolent. When applied to our Judicial System it is even damaging. We are all familiar with the adage that Justice delayed is Justice denied. We elected our Judges because we believe they will appropriately apply the law to the facts of any particular case. We elected our Judges because we believe they will make timely decisions so that the disruptions to our life and liberty interests are minimized. With their election to their bench it is fair to expect nothing less - we are owed that with their assuming that position of responsibility. Sadly, the ideal bears no resemblance to reality. Judge must be willing to put in the effort to be familiar with the law and facts that are applicable to each and every case that comes before them. Judges are ultimately responsible for the efficiency of their courtroom and their calendars. Far too often Judges think that delays are harmless ... they generally are not. They readily accept the lack of preparation on behalf of attorneys or other critical members of the system as just another excuse to postpone having to make a decision or even sit in the courtroom. Even more unacceptable is when they are entrusted to make a decision after hearing a matter they allow it to linger far too long. If we have Judges that cannot, or are unwilling to, make fair decisions based upon the law, in a timely fashion then they should not be on the bench. Recognizing that it then becomes our responsibility to help them find a job they are more suited for. Our courts exist to dispense justice not withhold it. Each day it takes to either get before a judge or to have a judge render a decision is irreplaceable and can have some irreparable consequences. Justice should never be denied ... Judges should not be allowed to live in denial.
Posted on: Thu, 17 Oct 2013 22:40:08 +0000
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