The Federal War On Judges
The WSJ's Jess Bravin reports that Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said that all the drug cases being heard at a federal level has required a Congress to enlarge the federal justice system and has diluted the quality of judges:
"It was a great mistake to put routine drug offenses into the federal courts," he told the Senate Judiciary Committee at an unusual hearing that brought Justice Scalia and Justice Stephen Breyer to discuss with senators the judiciary's role in the constitutional system.Justice Scalia said routine drug cases belong in state courts, which handle the vast majority of trials for most criminal offenses. The Judiciary Committee chairman, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D., Vt.), himself a former state prosecutor, agreed.
The increase in federal criminal law has required Congress to enlarge the federal court system, and Justice Scalia suggested that has helped diminish the "elite" quality of the federal judiciary.
Real simple solution -- end the "War on Drugs". Wipe out the large majority of the Federal laws on drugs and put it back to the states.
Jim P. at October 8, 2011 7:02 AM
Can't do that Jim, it would be an admission that the war on drugs is a failure. Plus, the prison-industrial complex, big donors to both parties, won't stand for anything that might reduce prison populations.
Christopher at October 8, 2011 1:29 PM
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