Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Publius Valerius
When was this done? I'm curious.

It has never happened-directly. But the Constitiution does not require a justice to be a lawyer. In fact, many Presidents nominated politicians (former lawyers) holding elected office rather than judges since they were more "in-tune" with the wishes of the public. These politicians were lawyers at one time or another, but they were chosen for their non-active legal status.

259 posted on 03/01/2005 8:12:07 AM PST by Erik Latranyi (9-11 is your Peace Dividend)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 167 | View Replies ]


To: Erik Latranyi

Once again, I don't think it a) COULD happen or b) SHOULD happen.

I'd like to have people up there that know what the hell they are doing. I wouldn't have a non-doctor operate on me on the theory that they can always read a book, and I wouldn't want a non-lawyer Supreme Court justice for the same reason.

But as I mentioned earlier, the Supreme Court has held in the past that a criminal defendant has a right to an appeal before a legally trained judge, so I don't think this would fly, although query who would have standing to challenge this.


602 posted on 03/01/2005 10:35:08 AM PST by Publius Valerius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 259 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson