WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) -- A coalition of groups concerned with impartial courts this week launched a website tracking litigation that could impact the fairness of the nation's court system.
The groups, called the Fair Courts Litigation Task Force, include: the American Judicature Society, the Brennan Center for Justice, Justice at Stake, the National Center for State Courts and The Campaign Legal Center.
The groups say their website, www.faircourtslitigation.org, which launched Thursday, will serve as a "clearinghouse" of litigation that either challenges or supports ethical rules aimed at keeping the judiciary free from partisan politics and outside influences.
That includes: the financing of judicial elections, judicial campaign conduct rules, merit selection of judges, and rules governing the recusal of judges from cases.
"This website will prove a valuable resource for all who care about the integrity of our judicial system," Justice at Stake Acting Executive Director Liz Seaton said in a statement. "Fair and impartial courts safeguard people's rights and decide business cases that keep our economy moving forward, but we must be vigilant about protecting them.
"This tool exposes legal efforts to exert political pressure on the courts, complementing our work to alert the American public to alarmingly high levels of spending in judicial campaigns."
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by email at jessica@legalnewsline.com.