california judicial retention elections - santa clara.pdf

Santa Clara Law R eview Volume 28 | Number 2 Article 4 1-1-1988 California Judicial Retention Elections Gerald F. Uelmen Follow this and additional works at : http://digital ommons.law.s /lawreview Part of the Law Commons Re ommended Citation Gerald F. Uelmen, Symposium, Calif ornia Judicial Retention Elections, 28 Santa Clara L. Rev. 333 (1988). Available at : http://digital ommons.law.s /lawreview/vol28/iss2/4 This Symposium is brought to you for free and open a ess by the Journals at Santa Clara Law Digital Commons. It has been a epted for inclusion in Santa Clara Law R eview by an authorized administrator of Santa Clara Law Digital Commons. For more information, please ontact s ulawlibrarian@gmail. om. CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT CONFERENCE, SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA, OCTOBER 10, 1987 III. CALIFORNIA JUDICIAL RETENTION ELECTIONS A. Essay - Supreme CourtRetention Elections in California Gerald F. Uelmen* I. INTRODUCTION Judicial accountability and judicial independence stand at oppo- site poles. Those professing devotion to either end of the spectrum have been engaged in a debate for at least two centuries. The debate did not begin in California, and it certainly will not end in Califor- nia, although the state has historically been a harbinger of national change. Most often, the debate temporarily suspends with a compro- mise. Retention elections were intended to strike such a compromise. Those advocating absolute independence were persuaded that reten- tion elections would achieve lif