Second Edition May It Judicial Processes and Politics in America Please the Court © 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC © 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC Second Edition May It Judicial Processes and Politics in America Please the Court Brian L. Porto Boca Raton London New York CRC Press is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC This book was originally published by Pearson Education, Inc. CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group 6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300 Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742 © 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business No claim to original U.S. Government works Version Date: 20110715 International Standard Book Number-13: 978-1-4200-6769-9 (eBook - PDF) This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources. Reasonable efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and publisher cannot assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or the consequences of their use. The authors and publishers have attempted to trace the copyright holders of all material reproduced in this publication and apologize to copyright holders if permission to publish in this form has not been obtained. If any copyright material has not been acknowledged please write and let us know so we may rectify in any future reprint. Except as permitted under U.S. Copyright Law, no part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmit- ted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publishers. For permission to photocopy or use material electronically from this work, please access www.copyright. com (http://www.copyright.com/) or contact the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400. CCC is a not-for-profit organization that provides licenses and registration for a variety of users. For organizations that have been granted a photocopy license by the CCC, a separate system of payment has been arranged. Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at http://www.taylorandfrancis.com and the CRC Press Web site at http://www.crcpress.com © 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC For my uncles, John Parlapiano and Anthony Porto, mentors both © 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC © 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC Contents Illustrations xiii Preface xv Acknowledgments xvii About the Author xix 1 Courts and Judges in the Political Process 1 1.1 Law and Politics: Myth and Reality 1 1.2 The Political Context of Judging 4 1.2.1 Courts in the American Political System 4 1.2.2 Links between Law and Politics 7 1.2.3 The Differences between Law and Politics 12 1.3 Reconciling Law and Politics 15 1.4 Conclusion: Law, Politics, and Judicial Decisions 16 1.5 Epilogue: The Law and Politics of Flag Burning 17 2 American Courts—Structures and Procedures 27 2.1 Federalism and the Judiciary 27 2.2 State Court Systems 28 2.2.1 Introduction 28 2.2.2 Trial Courts of Limited Jurisdiction 28 2.2.3 Trial Courts of General Jurisdiction 33 2.2.4 Intermediate Appellate Courts 36 2.2.5 Courts of Last Resort 38 2.3 The Federal Court System 39 2.3.1 Introduction 39 2.3.2 Specialized Federal Courts 41 2.3.3 U.S. District Courts 42 2.3.4 U.S. Courts of Appeals 45 2.3.5 The U.S. Supreme Court 48 2.4 Federal Court Administration 53 2.5 Relations between State and Federal Courts 54 vii © 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC viii Contents 2.6 Conclusion 55 2.7 Epilogue: The Roots of Judicial Federalism 56 3 Lawyers and Lawyering 67 3.1 Introduction 67 3.2 A Brief History of the Legal Profession 68 3.3 The Legal Profession Today 74 3.3.1 Entry 74 3.3.2 Culture 81 3.3.3 Practice 82 3.3.4 Challenges 87 3.4 Conclusion 92 3.5 Epilogue: Client Solicitation and Free Speech 92 4 Judicial Selection and Removal 103 4.1 Law, Politics, and Judicial Nominations 103 4.2 Judicial Selection in the States 105 4.2.1 Introduction 105 4.2.2 Election 105 4.2.3 Appointment 109 4.2.4 Appointment-and-Election 111 4.2.5 Legislative Selection 113 4.2.6 Conclusion 113 4.3 Discipline and Removal of State Judges 114 4.4 Selection of Federal Judges 118 4.4.1 Introduction 118 4.4.2 The Lower Federal Courts 118 4.4.3 The Supreme Court 125 4.5 Discipline and Removal of Federal Judges 131 4.6 Conclusion 132 4.7 Epilogue: Free Speech and Judicial Elections 133 5 Norm Enforcement—The Criminal Justice Process 145 5.1 Introduction 145 5.2 State v. Johnson: Facts 147 5.3 State v. Johnson: Participants 149 5.3.1 The Defendant 149 5.3.2 The Defense Attorney 150 © 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC Contents ix 5.3.3 The Prosecutor 150 5.3.4 The Judge 151 5.4 State v. Johnson: Process 152 5.4.1 Pretrial 152 5.4.1.1 Arraignment 152 5.4.1.2 Preliminary Hearing 154 5.4.1.3 Indictment 155 5.4.1.4 Plea Bargain 156 5.4.1.5 Motions 157 5.4.2 Trial 159 5.4.2.1 Defendant’s Right to a Speedy Trial 159 5.4.2.2 Jury Selection 160 5.4.2.3 Opening Statements 162 5.4.2.4 Presentation of Evidence 164 5.4.2.5 Closing Arguments 168 5.4.2.6 Jury Instructions 170 5.4.2.7 Verdict 171 5.4.2.8 Sentencing 171 5.5 Conclusion 173 5.6 Epilogue: Dr. Sheppard’s Trial 173 6 Dispute Resolution—The Civil Justice Process 183 6.1 Introduction 183 6.2 Peterson v. Big Pine Mountain Ski Corporation: Facts 186 6.3 Participants 187 6.3.1 The Plaintiff 187 6.3.2 The Plaintiff’s Lawyer 187 6.3.3 The Defendant 188 6.3.4 The Defense Lawyer 188 6.3.5 The Judge 189 6.4 Process 189 6.4.1 Pretrial 189 6.4.1.1 Complaint 189 6.4.1.2 Answer/Motion to Dismiss 190 6.4.1.3 Discovery 191 6.4.1.4 ADR 197 6.4.1.5 Summary Judgment 198 6.4.2 Trial 199 6.4.2.1 The Right to a Jury Trial 199 6.4.2.2 Jury Selection 200 6.4.2.3 Opening Statements 202 6.4.2.4 Presentation of Evidence 204 © 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC x Contents 6.4.2.5 Closing Arguments 210 6.4.2.6 Jury Instructions 210 6.4.2.7 Verdict 211 6.5 Conclusion 212 6.6 Epilogue: Punishing Deceit 212 7 Policy Making—The Appellate Process 221 7.1 Introduction 221 7.2 State v. Johnson on Appeal 223 7.2.1 Post-Verdict Motions 223 7.2.2 Notice of Appeal 223 7.2.3 Briefs 224 7.2.3.1 Appellant 224 7.2.3.2 Appellee 230 7.2.3.3 Reply 231 7.2.4 Oral Argument 231 7.2.5 Decision Conference 235 7.2.6 Decision 235 7.3 Peterson on Appeal 236 7.3.1 Post-Verdict Motion 236 7.3.2 Notice of Appeal 237 7.3.3 Briefs 238 7.3.3.1 Appellant 238 7.3.3.2 Appellee 240 7.3.3.3 Reply 241 7.3.4 Oral Argument 241 7.3.5 Decision Conference 244 7.3.6 Decision 245 7.4 Conclusion 245 7.5 Epilogue: Open Fields and a “Tumbledown” House 246 7.5.1 Open Fields 246 7.5.2 “A Tumbledown” House 250 8 Legal and Political Influences on Judicial Decision Making 257 8.1 Introduction 257 8.2 Legal Influences 258 8.2.1 Procedural 259 8.2.2 Substantive 264 8.3 Political Influences 268 © 2009 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC