Judge Throws Out Judicial Conduct Restrictions in Wisconsin

A federal judge in Wisconsin has held that rules barring state judges from joining political parties, soliciting campaign donations and endorsing candidates for public office violate the First Amendment.  Judge Barbara Crabb explained in her lengthy opinion that while such rules violate constitutional guarantees, they did little to eliminate the risk of bias or ensure public confidence in the judiciary, in part because of the influence of big money donors who contribute to judicial elections through campaign committees.  Alternative means of ensuring neutrality were available, however, such as stricter requirements for recusal when a judge's partiality comes into question.   

-Kathleen A. Bergin