This evening over in Raleigh at Campbell University's law school (aka, Tim's school), there will be a panel discussion with Carrie Severino, Chief Counsel and Policy Director of The Judicial Crisis Network, Professor Brian Fitzpatrick of Vanderbilt University School of Law, and Professor Scott Gaylord of Elon University School of Law on Judicial Selection in North Carolina. From the Federalist Society's announcement:
Although North Carolina currently elects its judicial officials, various groups are pushing to eliminate judicial elections in favor of a system where members of the bench are selected either through gubernatorial appointment or through a judicial nominating commission. Governor Perdue has already created a judicial nominating commission that will determine who the governor can appoint to judicial openings that arise between elections and a number of bills are pending in the General Assembly that would amend the state constitution to change our method of judicial selection. Please join the Triangle Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society for a discussion on the current debate about judicial selection in North Carolina and the impact the outcome of this debate will have on North Carolina's citizens.
The program begins at 6:30. I hope to be there — in large part because I want to hear this discussion, but also (to be honest) because I need to get a couple of pictures of Raleigh for upcoming trivia!