Other Resources

The following is a list of resources pertaining to judicial nominating commissions, the composition of those commissions, the rules that govern their operation, and assessments of their effectiveness.  Where appropriate, a link to the content (or information about how to get the content) is provided. 

The American Judicature Society.  Model Judicial Selection Provisions.  American Judicature Society, Des Moines (2008).  To download this 34-page PDF, click here.  To order a hard copy, click here. 

Caufield, Rachel Paine.  “How the Pickers Pick:  Finding a Set of Best Practices for Judicial Nominating Commissions and Suggestions for Implementation.”  34 Fordham Urban Law Journal 163 (2007).  To access full text of this article, click here.  

Colquitt, Joseph A.  “Rethinking Judicial Nominating Commissions:  Independence, Accountability and Public Support.”  34 Fordham Urban Law Journal 73 (2007).  To access full text of this article, click here.   To view the entire Fordham Urban Law Journal Symposium on Rethinking Judicial Selection:  A Critical Appraisal of Appointive Selection for State Court Judges, click here.    

The American Judicature Society.  “Interviewing judicial applicants: a critical nominating commission function (editorial).” 87 Judicature 286 (2004). To access full text of this article, click here.  

Reddick, Malia.  “Merit Selection:  A Review of the Social Scientific Literature.”  106 Dickinson Law Review 729 (2002).   To access full text of this article, click here.  

Esterling, Kevin M. and Seth S. Andersen.  “Diversity and the Judicial Merit Selection Process:  A Statistical Report” in Research on Judicial Selection 1999, American Judicature Society, Chicago (1999).  To order this publication, click here.  

Stewart, Matthew.  “Judicial Selection Research Guide.” Alabama Supreme Court and State Law Library (1999). 

Martin, Joanne.  Merit Selection Commissions:  What Do They Do? How Effective Are They?  American Bar Foundation Survey and Report prepared for the ABA Standing Committee on Judicial Selection, Tenure, and Compensation.  American Bar Association, Chicago (1993).

The American Judicature Society “Judicial Nominating Commissions - The Need for Demographic Diversity (editorial).”  74 Judicature 236 (1991).  

Henschen, Beth M., Robert Moog, and Steven Davis.  “Judicial Nominating Commissioners:  A National Profile.” 73 Judicature 328 (1990). 

Scheb, John M.  “State Appellate Judges' Attitudes Toward Judicial Merit Selection and Retention: Results of a National Survey”  72 Judicature 170 (1988). 

Dubois, Philip L.  “State Trial Court Appointments:  Does the Governor make a difference?”  69 Judicature 20 (1985).   

Chinn, Nancy and Larry Berkson.  Literature on Judicial Selection.  American Judicature Society, Chicago (1980).  To order this publication, click here.

Gunderson, E.M.  “’Merit Selection’:  The Report and Appraisal of a Participant Observer.”  10 Pacific Law Journal 683 (1979).   

Ashman, Allan, and James J. Alfini.  The Key to Judicial Merit Selection:  The Nominating Process. The American Judicature Society, Chicago (1974).   To order this publication, click here.

Watson, Richard A. and Rondal G. Downing.  The Politics of the Bench and the Bar:  Judicial Selection Under the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan.  John Wiley and Sons, New York (1969)   

If you know of other resources that you believe should be included on this list, please feel free to contact Tim Eckley, Rachel Paine Caufield or Malia Reddick at 800-626-4029.