Justice at Stake is a national, nonpartisan organization that aims to “keep our courts fair and impartial.” Launched in February 2002, the group is composed of more than 45 judicial, legal and citizen organizations with the common goal of educating the public on the importance of limiting the influence of outside interest groups on the U.S. judicial system. The organization is funded by grants from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Joyce Foundation, the Moriah Fund and the Open Society Institute, and accepts individual donations.
The organization uses its website to inform the public of what it perceives to be threats to the independence of the nation’s courts and judges, including escalating spending by various interests on state judicial races. The site has information on how each state selects its judges (merit selection or election, with variations) and judicial issues in each state. Other offerings include podcasts, a current issues section, a glossary of terms used in the legal system, and biennial reports analyzing the most recent round of state judicial races.
Comments: Justice at Stake provides valuable information about the judicial selection process and attempts by outside interest groups to influence the operations of state and federal courts.
Political Leanings: None