Wednesday 17 April 2013

Monitoring the Irish Judiciary

Ireland could usefully examine the Californian model for monitoring the Judiciary - their Judicial Performance Commission. Most importantly it has 11 members but 6 are ordinary citizens, with 2 nominated by the Governor, 2 by the Senate Rules Cte, and 2 by the Speaker.

 Only 3 are Judges [ from different levels, but nominated by the Supreme Court ], and with 2 Lawyers.

 Ireland also urgently needs a Constitutional Amendment to provide for Impeachment of Judges, including not least an explicit provision covering Mis-conduct by Judges damaging the judicial office.

 The recent over-the-top public hysteria from some Judges needs to be turned to some good - it is time to face issues such as the above.
 As well as developing a coherent Sentencing Process, including identifying, as well as weighing, both Mitigating and Aggravating factors.

And having a transparent and public process for selecting Judges - maybe also for promoting some to sit on and preside over higher Courts ?

 The core principle - *Nemo Judex in Sua Causa* [ no-one the judge in their own case ] must fully apply to Judges no less than to everyone else. Judges are not above the Law, nor are Doctors or Broadcasters or Lawyers or Police or Teachers, none of whom should be free to enjoy purely internal self-regulation.

And when some Judges suddenly choose in recent days, for the first time in Ireland, to indulge in public hysteria, alleging as one did [ with absolutely no evidence whatsoever ] that the Irish Govt is bent on dismantling Judicial Independence *brick-by-brick*, they gravely damage not only their own standing, but that of the Judiciary itself. And unwittingly highlight the urgent need for effective monitoring of the Judiciary.

 It is also vital for democracy, both in Ireland and in the EU, and for the Sovereignty of the People, that Judges, at all levels, see themselves as only there to apply, but not to invent, the Law, and the Constitution, with both amendment, repeal or enactment of Law or of Articles of the Constitution, being clearly and unambiguously the exclusive prerogative of the elected Lawmakers.

Wednesday 3 April 2013

Thoughts On Learning That the Killer Kathy Boudin is a Professor at Columbia | FrontPage Magazine

Thoughts On Learning That the Killer Kathy Boudin is a Professor at Columbia | FrontPage Magazine

THURSDAY April 4 at 11 PM TV-3

The BAI - Broadcasting Authority of Ireland judgement against Vincent Browne re his outrageous comments about Israel, will be read, by him, live on-air, at the start of his show, at 11 PM Thursday, April 4, 2013

Re book *Constabulary Heroes*

Contact Email for £25 purchase [ + £5 p&p ] of *Constabulary Heroes* by Sam Trotter is Peter@impact-printing.co.uk

Constabulary Heroes 1826 to 2009

This fine and long overdue book by Sam Trotter records the long line of Irish police officers killed from 1826 to 2009 in the bottle-green uniformed RIC [ Royal Irish Constabulary ], a force most of whom were Southern Irish farmer's sons, including even most of those serving in Belfast in 1911, and those killed from 1922 in its successor, the RUC [ Royal Ulster Constabulary ] and recently known as the PSNI [ Police Service of Northern Ireland ]. Over 72,000 of over 85,000 who served in the RIC were born in Ireland, as were 12,500 who served in the navy-blue uniformed DMP [ Dublin Metropolitan Police ]. This book is available at only £25 plus £5 p&p, from Peter McCaughan, Impact Printing, Leyland Road, Ballycastle, BT54 6EZ County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Telephone 028 2076 2469

Kathryn Schulz - The bright side of wrong - The Boston Globe

The bright side of wrong - The Boston Globe