Arizona Civics Podcast
Welcome to the Arizona Civics Podcast. This podcast aims to share our journey of sustaining Arizona’s interests in reforms to civic education by working with civic educators in our state. This work is being done by the Center for American Civics at Arizona State University. I am your host, Liz Evans, Civic Education and Outreach Program Director at ASU, and I will interview Arizona teachers, content experts, and leaders in civic education. We hope you enjoy our journey to make Arizona a national civics model!
Arizona Civics Podcast
Judging the Judges: How Arizona Chooses Its Judiciary
How do you balance judicial independence with accountability? Arizona answers this question using a modified version of the Missouri Plan to select appellate and many lower court judges. In this episode, we explore the evolution of judicial selection in the United States, from competitive elections to the federal appointment model and the Missouri Plan’s hybrid approach.
Learn why Arizona rejected lifetime appointments, embraced elements of direct democracy, and implemented a system blending gubernatorial appointments with voter retention elections. We’ll break down the three-tiered structure of Arizona’s judiciary, the role of nominating commissions, and the ongoing debates about the balance of professionalism, democracy, and independence in the judicial system.
Join us as we examine how Arizona’s unique approach shapes its courts and reflects its political values.
The Arizona Constitution Project
Check Out Our Free Lessons on Arizona History and Government!
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