Karla Gray is Out. Who's In?

The Supreme Court (0.00 / 0)

Montana would be well served to have Justice Jim Rice run for the Chief position. I know Justice Rice personally, he is a man of integrity and sound judgement. He is a proven leader in the Judicial system, and well respected by his collegues, seems to me that a man who didn't even have an opponent in the last election must be viewed by his peers as a person who is well suited for the court.

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by: A Republican Mom @ Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 17:02:03 PM UTC

another interpretation (0.00 / 0)

I think you could also chalk up the lack of opposition to Justice Rice as a reasonable result of the fact that it is damn near impossible to unseat an incumbent Justice.  I don't doubt Justice Rice's competency as a Justice, but I am not convinced that he can handle the administrative stuff.  (See below for context).

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by: V @ Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 17:18:54 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

surprised as well (0.00 / 0)

One thing to remember when speculating about possible replacements for Chief Justice Gray is that the Chief Justice's job is highly administrative.  That is, while she still participates fully in the legal reasoning and adjudications, her job as Chief Justice is to make sure that the wheels of justice turn as smoothly as possible on the judicial side.  For this reason, it does not always make sense to choose an ideological or philosphical leader for this job.  Rather, to do the job effectively, the candidate has to have strong administrative tact.

Chief Justice Gray holds vastly different jurisprudential values and reasoning than I do, but she was (and is still, I suppose) one of the most effective Chief Justices that this Court--or any other--has ever seen.  She is dedicated to the administrative function of her position above and beyond her reasoned judgment in individual cases.

I am not sure there is any jurist in the state who could "walk on" to the job that CJ Gray is leaving.  AG McGrath might be a swell replacement.  On the Court, it is harder to say who might be a good replacement.

I will keep my ears open in nerdy law land for hubub about other possibilities. 

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by: V @ Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 17:16:04 PM UTC

Swell replacement to be sure (0.00 / 0)

I'd start knocking doors for a McGrath candidacy today, although if history held true once again, I'm sure an opposition-free race would suit him just fine as well. 

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by: Nick Domitrovich @ Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 17:40:27 PM UTC

[ Parent ]