Issue 6:5 is here.

• Delaware Senate looks at opening up Family Court proceedings
• Florida legislature advances plans to tie judicial retirement benefits to changes in merit selection
• Veterans’ Courts considered in Hawaii & Washington
• Cameras in the court bills introduced in New York and South Dakota
• New Hampshire House committee rejects effort to repeal state’s supreme court & require all judges be at least 60 years old
• Nebraska may raise judicial salaries
• Ohio Senate committee approves bill to increase penalties for crimes against judges
• Indiana House may require some town/city court judges be attorneys

Issue 6:4 is here.

• Jury nullification makes it out of New Hampshire Senate and back to House
• Oklahoma tries again to increase small claims jurisdiction
• Plans to raise mandatory judicial retirement ages advance in FL, die in VA
• Virginia may split $5 court technology fee with $4 staying locally
• Florida tackles issue of e-filing and e-storage
• West Virginia tries to come up with new ways to pay of public financing of supreme court races
• Latest bill to abolish Tennessee’s existing judicial disciplinary body

Issue 6:3 is here.

• Missouri constitutional amendment would ban state courts from enforcing federal law
• Tennessee bills would end judicial review by state courts, require drug testing of judges
• West Virginia may require magistrate court judges have a bachelor’s degree, could create intermediate appellate court
• Virginia legislature looks to change how it funds court technology, may direct weighted caseload and other studies of the commonwealth’s courts
• Kentucky and Ohio consider public financing for judicial campaigns
• Vermont bill would require judges give a jury nullification instruction

Issue 5:50 (December 9) is here.

• Florida lottery winners would have to pay off court debts before receiving their winnings

Issue 5:49 (December 2) is here.

• New Jersey considers constitutional amendment to outright delete provision that prohibits diminishment of judicial salaries during the term of a judge’s appointment
• Michigan may require magistrates be attorneys

Issue 5:47 & 48 (November 18 & 25) is here.

• Focus Topic: Medical malpractice courts
• New Hampshire House committee approves plans to expand and make public judicial performance evaluations; end marital master program

A special double issue will come out next Thursday. Happy Thanksgiving from Gavel to Gavel!

Issue 5:46 (November 11) is here.

• Several Michigan bills would realign state’s judicial districts/structure
• Ohio tries again to alter Mayor’s courts

Issue 5:45 (November 4) is here.

• Focus Trend: Law Libraries

Issue 5:44 (October 28) is here.

• Michigan’s House considers a bill to grant most state courts concurrent jurisdiction with each other