LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS TO HOST GENERAL MEETING ON PROMOTING INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY

WHAT:    League members and the general public are invited to hear a panel of judges discuss the importance and need for public awareness of an independent judiciary.
WHO:    Our panel of experts:
- Former Texas Supreme Court Justice Craig Enoch
- Texas Third Court of Appeals Justice Diane Henson
- Travis County Court at Law #2 Judge Eric Shepperd

Moderator: Maxine Barkan, Program Chair for Judicial Selection for the League of Women Voters of Texas
WHEN:        Thursday, October 9, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.
WHERE:    The meeting will be held at LCRA Red Bud Center
3601 Lake Austin Blvd., Room 108S (ample parking adjacent to the building)

NOTES:    The League of Women Voters (LWV) of Texas has a long history examining the judicial system in Texas beginning in 1959 while working on constitutional revision. Since that time additional studies have been conducted, the most recent in 2001-2003.

Issues for discussion (panelists):

• Preserving impartiality in our current system of electing judges (negative political campaigns, campaign costs, etc.)
• Public financing of the judiciary, would it eliminate the perception of undue influence from campaign contributions?
• How can the public become more informed and interested about the importance of the role of judges. Who is responsible?

CONTACT:
Judy Parken, 512.657.4474
JAParken@aol.com

Maxine Barkan, 512.231.8536
mbarkan@austin.rr.com