How do elected judges compare with appointed judges?

When it comes to things that Oregonians value, electing state court judges may rank right up there with no sales tax and no self-serve gas.  But some contend that judges who are appointed - as they are in the federal courts and many states - are "better" because they're not susceptible to political pressures and the whims of voters.

Three legal scholars have studied how both types of judges rank for independence, skill, and effort.  They found, overall, that appointed judges do not perform at a significantly higher level than elected judges.  See the details posted today on the University of Chicago Law School Faculty Blog.