In what ways do "politics" affect the functioning of the state's court system?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Although the courts are impartial administrators of the law, it is impossible to eradicate politics from the court system. Judges are people whose personal and partisan biases tend to be expressed in their judicial philosophy or approach, and governors tend to appoint justices whose philosophy mirrors their own. Thus, it is possible for a governor to shape the judiciary through appointments, bringing a more "liberal," "moderate," or "conservative" cast to the bench. The fact that judges interpret law means that they play a role in setting state policy. In addition, most justices will face a retention election during their careers, and the threat of recall is always present. Laws and ballot initiatives affect how the judges and justices function; they may be forced by the voters to impose mandatory sentences for certain kinds of crimes, regardless of case-by-case circumstances (the Three-strikes law and other mandatory sentencing laws are good examples). Money also matters: the legislature plays no role in judicial appointments, but they (along with the governor) control how much money is allocated to the courts and the criminal justice system. The amounts of money they allocate affect who has access to the courts and how quickly their cases can be resolved.