Civics Library Of The Missouri Bar

Comparing and Contrasting Missouri's Non-Partisan Court Plan and Federal Selection of Judges

Fill in the chart below:

 

 

 

Missouri

 

United States

 

Role of the Executive

 

 

 

 

Role of the Legislature

 

 

 

 

How are politics minimized?

 

 

 

 

Role of the people

 

 

 

 

Term limits?

 

 

 

 

For discussion:

 

1.      Which plan—Missouri or the United States allows for a more independent judiciary?  Why?

 

2.      What aspects, if any, of Missouri’s Non-partisan Court Plan would you like to see the federal government adopt?  Why?

 

3.      What aspects, if any, of the federal selection plan would you like to see Missouri adopt?  Why?

 

4.      Do you think appellate judges at either level should be elected by the people?

 

5.      How do the ways both Missouri and the federal government currently select judges protect the rights of the minority?

 

6.      How do both systems promote an impartial judiciary?