"Because judges can be unfairly attacked. The problem is then that a judge is ethically prohibited in many ways from contemporaneously defending himself...."
ON THE OTHER HAND ... judges and justices make decisions that have long term effects on peoples lives ... when they make a bad decision, the aggrieved party has no choice but to appeal at enormous cost not only in money, but time, resources, energy .. years as often as not. SOme cannot afford the appeal. In the case of SCOTUS, there is no recourse, such as in this week's decision affecting homeowners in New London .. what recourse do those people have because 5 justices decided the economic value to the town would be enhanced by TAKING their homes? They are not gods; they are not infallable. Their improper decisions destroy lives. I think those justices SHOULD be condemned, and condemned LOUDLY.