J.A.I.L. 4 Judges
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J.A.I.L. 4 Judges or the Judicial Accountability Initiative Law, is a single issue national grassroots political reform movement started by Ron Branson of California, United States. The movement asserts there is rampant judicial corruption in the legal system of the United States.
J.A.I.L. 4 Judges argues that correction of this alleged judicial corruption can only be achieved through making the Judicial Branch of government accountable to an entity other than itself.
They argued that accountability to the people will be achieved by the creation of special grand juries dedicated to this purpose. These people, who would not be officers of any other branch of government or members of the bar association, would be selected by lottery for limited terms. Complaints would come before them only after every other legal remedy has been attempted. They would have the power to strip judges of judicial immunity if they were the subject of civil complaints and to investigate, indict and initiate criminal prosecution of judges. The granting of such power to these special grand juries can only be accomplished through amendment to the constitutions of each state. Some believe there is a need for these juries on the federal level, and there is also a provision for a federal J.A.I.L. Bill.
J.A.I.L. 4 Judges argues that since there are vested interests in the status quo and because it is human nature for people to seek more power and against it to surrender it, passage of more than cosmetic reform will require the initiative process.
In South Dakota, the initiative is also known as "Amendment E" after the Constitutional Amendment it would become to make the provisions of the law possible.
In voting held on November 7, 2006, South Dakota voters overwhelmingly rejected this initiative. [1] Most voters saw the JAIL 4 Judges effort as an attack on judicial independence, and 9 out of 10 rejected it in South Dakota. [2]
J.A.I.L. 4 Judges is now trying to enact a similar measure in Florida. [3] The group has filed a petition [4] with the Florida Supreme Court to enjoin the Florida Bar from various actions, including participating in political activities, based on the fact that justices are not permitted and that the bar is in fact an arm of the judicial branch.
