League of Women Voters of Ohio
all of Hamilton County, OH November 7, 2000 Election
	Mark P. Painter Answers Questions Candidate for Judge; Court of Appeals; District 1; 6 Year Term Starting 2/9/01

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Ohio and asked of all candidates for this office.

Read the answers from all candidates.

Questions & Answers

1. Do you support public financing of campaigns for judicial candidates? Why or why not?

Public financing of judicial campaigns should not be necessary. Judges should be chosen on merit, and should be insulated from the political process. Political campaigns are suitable for choosing representatives-but the interpretation and application of the law is not a political act. A proper system of merit selection must guard against elitism by including not only lawyers, but other citizens on selection boards. We should have the best judges, not the most electable.

2. Would you support merit selection of judges? Why or why not?

Judges should be chosen on merit, and should be insulated from the political process. Judges should not campaign for office, because the interpretation and application of the law should not depend on majority whim. The very nature of our legal system is to protect the weak from the strong, the minority from the majority. We should have the best judges, not the most electable.

3. In light of the Report of the Ohio Commission on Racial Fairness: Reviewing fairness of the Ohio legal system, what do you see as your role in addressing racism within the legal system

We have come a long way in the last few years, but not far enough. During my last year in Municipal Court (1995), sometimes the prosecutor, defense lawyer, and police officer would all be minorities. That would not have happened a few short years before. Because diversity is important, and because there are eminently qualified people available, the next judge on our court of appeals should be a minority. We currently are six white males.