HOLD YOUR JUDGES TO ACCOUNT!

I was in court the other day when I saw a notice on the bulletin board.  It was addressed to the clerks and originated from Michael P. Thompson, Chairperson of the Judicial Selection Committee.  His telephone was listed as 860-713-5300.  The notice was in regard to the 2012 Reappointment of Judges, Notice to be Posted.  The notice was dated December 1, 2010.  


The subject matter of this notice was a "Notice for public viewing of judges for the State of Connecticut whose terms will expire in the year 2012."  In other words what this notice was all about was as stated on the top of the page, "notice of evaluation of incumbent judges who seek reappointment" and the intent of the notice was to solicit the public's views on the performance of these judges.


Basically what Mr. Thompson had to say was "The terms of the following Judges of the State of Connecticut will expire during the year 2012 and the nominations by the Governor will come before the Judicial Selection Committee for review commencing in February 2011."  


As Michael P. Thompson, Chairperson stated, "Comments regarding the reappointments of any of the Judges on the Reappointment List for 2012 may be submitted to the judicial Selection Commission, 165 Capital Avenue, Room 241, Hartford, CT 06106 on or before January 31, 2011."  Well, granted you've missed that deadline, you still have time because "Reappointment interviews of the listed Judges will commence on February 2011 and continue through June 2011.  Accordingly, comments received after January 31, 2011 will be considered if received prior to a Judge's reappointment interview."  


Should you sign your name to your comments?  You don't have to, but it would be better if you did.  As Thompson states, "Anonymous submissions will be considered but afforded less weight than signed submissions.  The judges being considered are as follows in alphabetical order:


Hon. Richard E. Arnold
Hon. John F. Blawie
Hon. Patrick L. Carroll, III
Hon. Edward J. Dolan
Hon. Christina G. Dunnell
Hon. Nina F. Elgo
Hon. Michael Hartmere
Hon. William Holden
Hon. Frank A. Iannotti
Hon. Burton A. Kaplan
Hon. Richard M. Marano
Hon. Grant H. Miller
Hon. Edward J. Mullarkey
Hon. Susan A. Peck
Hon. Eliot D. Prescott
Hon. Michael E. Riley
Hon. Thelma A. Santos
Hon. Dan Shaban
Hon. Kenneth L. Shluger
Hon. Jorge A. Simon
Hon. Elliot N. Solomon
Hon. Hillary B. Strackbein
Hon. Mark H. Taylor
Hon. Bruce W. Thompson
Hon. Theodore R. Tyma
Hon Elpedio N. Vitale
Hon. Bradford J. Ward


I can't say for certain if writing to this Commission will do anything, but if there is any chance that it might, I say:  GO CRAZY GUYS!