Gavel Grab

JAS, Brennan: WI Recusal Plan at Odds With Caperton

Charlie Hall January 21st, 2010 | Category: Recusal

Logo of Brennan Center for Justice

Justice at Stake and the Brennan Center for Justice today submitted written testimony to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The groups said proposed changes to the state’s recusal rules “are in clear conflict with the holding  of the United States Supreme Court in Caperton v. A.T. Massey Coal Co.”

The 2009 Supreme Court ruling ordered a West Virginia judge off a case involving a coal executive who spent $3 million to help elect him.

The state Supreme Court’s proposal says that judges should “never” recuse from a case solely because of a litigant’s campaign spending. According to recent news reports, the court was scheduled today to discuss the proposal, which has excited intense controversy.

To learn more, see earlier Gavel Grab postings,  or visit Justice at Stake’s page on recusal reform. For the full written testimony, click here.

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  1. More on Wisconsin’s Recusal Standards | American Courthouse January 22nd, 2010 3:21 pm

    [...] friends over at Justice at Stake and the Brennan Center are huffing and puffing because the Wisconsin Supreme Court decided not to adopt a recusal standard proposed by special [...]

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