Governor favors federal‑style judicial appointments over current JNC process, cites limits on recruiting
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Summary
When asked about a bill affecting the judicial nominating commission, the governor said he would prefer a model closer to the federal appointment process so governors can recruit nominees directly and argued the current process limits the candidate pool and interview depth.
The governor said he prefers a judicial selection process that allows the governor to recruit and appoint judges rather than relying solely on the judicial nominating commission (JNC) process as currently structured.
Asked about legislation that would change how judicial nominations are handled, the governor said he has appointed four justices to the state Supreme Court and that the current JNC process — which he described as interviewing many candidates in short time slots — can limit the ability to recruit and evaluate top candidates. "Would I rather have the governor just choose? Yes," he said, comparing the approach to the federal model of presidential nomination with legislative confirmation.
He said the current system sometimes imposes geographic or other constraints on applicants and that interview days can entail very short, 20‑minute interviews for multiple applicants, which he suggested may not surface the best candidates for high courts. He noted that some members of the bar association can remain on nominating lists for multiple years while his gubernatorial picks are limited to shorter maximum terms under current law.
The governor said he has not been disappointed with the four Supreme Court appointees he named but argued the system could be improved to attract a broader pool of applicants. He did not identify specific legislation he would support or veto and said he would evaluate bills when they reach his desk.
