Six Reasons to Limit the Judges
Count 'em On One Hand, Almost

  1. Rotation in office is an important check against the abuse of power in our system of limited government and consent of the governed. Colorado voters have mandated such rotation for the executive and legislative branches of state government by enacting term limits. This amendment completes the balance by mandating it for the judicial branch.
     
  2. Many citizens are concerned about the abuse of power by state judges presuming to rewrite the constitution and laws in such areas as leniency to convicted murderers, invading property rights, infringing religious freedom, and redefining marriage. This amendment increases the accountability of unelected judges to our elected governor in cooperation with the merit nominating process.
     
  3. Removal of deficient judges by existing provisions is minimal to nil. Fewer than 1% of judges are dismissed by the voters in retention elections. Recall and impeachment of judges have not been utilized in living memory. Instead of judges thus holding virtual life tenure (to age 72), this amendment would limit them to 12 years and up or out.
     
  4. Retention elections currently work better for district judges at 4-year intervals than for Appeals judges at 8-year intervals or Supreme Court justices at 10-year intervals. This amendment would standardize the length of terms at 4 years for all court levels.
     
  5. This amendment would not politicize our courts, since it neither weakens the merit appointment process nor allows for easier "firing" of an unpopular judge -- it merely rotates the incumbent judges a little more often. Nor would it cause a shortage of qualified applicants; who believes there are too few career-minded lawyers in America today?
     
  6. Judicial independence in balance with accountability to the people -- who are the source of all political power in our republic -- can be improved by giving judges a term limit like other public officials, but making it a longer span of years than what is allowed for any others. This amendment would give Colorado a better, fairer court system.