Iowa's court system is recognized as one of the finest in America - Iowa's fair and impartial judges are a major reason. Our merit selection and our retention process keep politics and campaign money out of our courts.

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s initiative to promote merit selection: http://www.du.edu/legalinstitute/judicial_selection.html

State of Iowa Court Website http://www.iowacourts.gov/Public_Information/About_Judges/

American Judicature Society: http://www.judicialselection.us/judicial_selection/index.cfm?state=IA

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Iowa Ranking: http://www.instituteforlegalreform.com/lawsuit- climate.html#/2010/iowa

Resource Kit on Fair and Impartial Courts from the American Bar Association: http://www.abanet.org/judind/toolkit/impartialcourts/

Articles about judicial elections and judicial selection.

Editorial - More than just judges under attack in Iowa http:// www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20109130301

Column: Do Iowans really want to elect judges? http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2010/08/30/column-do-iowans-really- want-to-elect-judges/

The following columns discuss a different viewpoint:

Guest column: Adopt federal system: Senate should have role in judge selection http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20109040313

Guest column: Elect judges so they can be held accountable http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20108180331