Who is Advocating this Change?

A group called Judicial Review of Johnson County was formed for the announced purpose of getting sufficient petition signatures to place on the November 2006 general election ballot a proposition that, if passed by the voters, would require Johnson County’s 18 District County Judges and 3 Magistrate Judges to be elected in partisan elections beginning in the next general election. Although the proponents were unable to submit signatures in time for the 2006 general election, they have submitted a qualified petition and this issue will appear on the November 8, 2008 general election ballot.

The political motivations behind this effort to change our courts include: 1) a claim that courts are out of control and not accountable to “the people”; 2) a belief that the merit selection system disfavors “conservative” candidates for judge; and 3) a desire to use a partisan election system to elect socially, politically and judicially conservative judges.

The leader of Judicial Review of Johnson County is Tim Golba. For a number of years, Mr. Golba has been the leader of the Kansans For Life Political Action Committee. He left that position to change our system of justice in Johnson County.

An important measure of the goals of Judicial Review of Johnson County is the “questionnaire” it sent to all Johnson County judges who were up for retention in November, 2006. The survey clearly identified the political goals of Judicial Review of Johnson County. It seeks to ensure all judges pass its litmus tests on social, political and religious issues. Judges and judicial candidates not ideologically pure need not apply in the future world of Judicial Review of Johnson County. CLICK HERE: to view the questionnaire sent to the Judges in 2006.

Ballot Question:

Shall the following be adopted? The present method of nonpartisan selection of judges of the district court in this judicial district by the governor upon nominations by a district nominating commission and subject to retention in office by a vote of the voters shall be discontinued and there is hereby adopted in this judicial district the election of judges of the district court by the voters. YES or NO