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Wisconsin State Issue

Should Wisconsin require #judges to retire at 75?

Score for this "NO" opinion :
Score is TBD

"Judges for life ensures judiciary independence" Jul 19, 2024

The judicial branch is a co-equal branch of government not elected by popular vote. This ensures that the interpreters of the law, the arbiters of judicial review, are not swayed by politics and are unbiased upholders of justice. 

Part of what makes the judicial branch so unique is that it's historically had no imposed retirement age meaning a judge is a judge for life. In the United States, the ability for a judge to remain in office until resignation, removal from office, or death is well etched in the fabric of the constitution and should be protected.

It is essential to understand the spirit of the law and its rationale before we try to repeal its enforcement. Judges are given lifelong terms to help them avoid the perils of the political arena. Life-long terms provide them with the independence of tenure without any external threat. 

Judges focus more on upholding impartiality to anyone as they are not affected by anyone outside of this government branch. Judges have their salaries, which are not dictated by any other branch of government, allowing them to remain apolitical in any national issue. 

However, giving them term limits, and forcing them to retire at a specific age, defeats this purpose. Many argue that judges, as they get older, face the threat of old age problems. The mental and physical ability deteriorates as one ages, and the capacity to deliver sound judgment is threatened by waning health. Yet, we argue that forcing them to retire at 75 will open Pandora's box of problems that may be detrimental to the judicial system. 

First, the threat of mandatory retirement will force judges to seek post-retirement plans to remain active in society. This may mean favoring organizations that will give them an office of employment after their judicial exit. It may lead to judges turning a blind eye to cases they won't benefit from. Another issue is that the people will lose confidence in the impartiality of judges as, at the end of tenure, the vacated position needs to be filled. 

Whether appointment or election, choosing the next judge for a limited term will create a "political" atmosphere in the halls of justice. This should not be the case. Judges should be independent of the executive and legislative branches and are only subservient to the current laws of the land. Judges should remain in office until it is no longer possible to maintain their shield against corruption that looms outside the bench.

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