Thursday, March 06, 2008

Judge strikes back

Milwaukee County Circuit Judge John Siefert has sued the Wisconsin Judicial Commission seeking a declaration that certain portions of the Judicial Code are unconstitutional and to enjoin their enforcement. Judge Siefert says that he would like to join the Democratic Party and endorse candidates. He would also like to personally solicit contributions for his next re-election campaign. I've got more sympathy for the former than the latter.

Judge Siefert is represented by Jim Bopp, a prominent first amendment lawyer from Indiana, and local stalwart (and MULS alum) Mike Dean. Jim will be participating in a symposium on free speech in judicial elections next Tuesday at the Milwaukee Athletic Club, along with James Sample, counsel with the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law School and your humble blogger.

Everybody who is anybody (which is, after all, everybody) will be there.)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

While Bopp is a right-winger who canvasses the country looking for causes and Seifert it one of the worst judges to sit in Wisconsin in decades, Bopp and the Judge are right in this case.

And yes, I know Seifert wants to be a Democrat. But the real pull to permit judges to say what they want during campaigns comes from the right, right to life, "I'll hang all criminals," etc.

Nonethless, go team. The judicial rules are riddled with constitutional problems.

Anonymous said...

It'll be fun to see the state bar committee try to defend itself.

Anonymous said...

It really does amaze me that Supreme Court rules that are constitutional and good for everyone were broken (Ziegler) with what appears to be no concern of enforcment and here we have unconstituional rules being enforced and now challenged.

It appears that our judicial system is a mess and perhaps this challenge will help to get some things straighten out.

It also is surprising that it's coming from someone that wants to be a democrat and not a conservative that should be the people that are trying to protect these very things. Talk about upside down!

Anonymous said...

This is similar to the Supreme Court ruling that threw out MN's judicial rules. I am guessing Wisconsin's will be tossed as well.

James said...

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Crystal said...

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