Toughen judicial hiring standards

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By Times staff | Saturday, August 30, 2008 8:35 PM CDT | () comments

Iowa Associate District Court Judge Kyle Williamson collected his six-figure Iowa associate judge’s salary while sitting at home and later — in jail on administrative leave awaiting felony prosecution.

But the money is the least of our concerns. Along with his own reputation, Williamson has left the Iowa district court judiciary reputation in tatters.

Taxpayers got stuck because the local district court judicial hiring commission neglected to conduct even a cursory background check before promoting Willamson from part-time magistrate to full-time associate judge. Hiring rules, set by the local commission, didn’t require so much as a credit check for applicants.

We were surprised, given the number of conscientious, civic-minded judges our reporters have encountered over the years.

Times reporter Ann McGlynn disclosed that applicants for associate court judge in Scott and Clinton counties face less scrutiny than some hourly laborers. Though vetted on their legal credentials, no one had to check with prior employers or ask about criminal or civil involvement. The credit check alone more than likely would have raised concerns about Williamson’s judgment.

Once McGlynn’s stories disclosed the meager initial screening of judicial applicants, the court’s judicial nominating commission beefed up the process with some useful questions we’d expect would be found on most other executive hiring applications.

While discussing the tougher new hiring practices, the head of the commission candidly admitted that Williamson’s selection was a mistake.

We applaud the district judge for acknowledging “a mistake,” but we have to wonder: Just one? Williamson wasn’t the only associate court judge appointed without a credit check.

The new hiring standards adopted in Scott and Clinton counties do not apply elsewhere. Hiring commissions covering Iowa’s other 97 counties remain free to screen judicial applicants as they see fit.

This screening is so important because a judicial appointment can last for decades. Judges are seldom voted out.

That’s why we believe the Iowa Supreme Court should lead a statewide effort to implement modern hiring standards and processes for all Iowa associate court judges. Judges’ rulings carry weight statewide. The initial hiring process should should carry statewide clout, too.

Iowa’s courts in many ways modeled the highest standards of public accountability. Note that all judicial applicant names, not just finalists, are public. The additional step of instituting statewide hiring practices fits well with the courts’ reputation for openness.

New rules

Following Times reporter Ann McGlynn’s reporting on judicial hiring, the Scott District Court Nominating Commmision instituted more stringent checks. Now, judge applicants are asked:

- If they had been disciplined by an employer in the last year for any reason

- If anyone has filed any sort of complaint with an investigative agency or employer

- If they are subjects of an investigation that could result in civil, administrative or criminal action

- If they are officers or directors in any business