Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's football example doesn't help me understand her vote to throw out one charge against Capitol rioter
Why is §1512(c)(2) so significant when it comes to Trump's immunity case with the Supreme Court?
When President Joe Biden nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson as a Supreme Court judge, I expected to agree with most of her votes and disagree with a few. Does it really matter though? It’s not like we go to the polls and elect Supreme Court judges in the same manner that we do with local judges. (Of course the president we choose clearly affects nominations.)
Recommended Read: “Election Day: Here comes the judge … you don’t know ~ Don’t treat judge votes like the Scantron multiple choice test you didn’t study for”
I don’t have a whole lot of knowledge about local judges and (usually) think attorneys should be the only ones qualified to vote for them. That is, unless there’s a judge who acts like Common Pleas Court Judge Genece Brinkley (commonly known as “Meek Mill’s judge”). Then, I reconsider my opinion on judges being on everyday citizens’ ballots. However, it’s still rare that I know of 99.9% of local judgments.
Admittedly, it wasn’t until former President Barack Obama was in office — and nominated Justice Sonia Sotomayor — that I started paying attention. Working in three newsrooms forced me to observe who voted and how. Although I’ve long ago left newsrooms, my interest in local judges and how Supreme Court judges debate an issue and their final opinions increased.
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But one of Justice Jackson’s recent votes has me absolutely perplexed. She was one of six who supported throwing out a charge against January 6 Capitol rioter/former police officer Joseph Fischer. While I would consider Fischer’s actions no different than any other “accessory to a crime” case, Justice Jackson justified her vote by bringing up an example about football players trash-talking versus fighting at a game. I’m not even slightly convinced.