Judicial appointments and judicial independence

The judicial virtues of independence, integrity and impartiality are requirements of the rule of law. The pressures capable of being exerted by centres of power and wealth in the community, particularly the executive branch of government, require careful attention to the institutional design for the administration of justice. Personal fortitude and resilience are not enough. Institutional protections are required and have long since been adopted. One important institutional issue involves the process of judicial appointment. There is no single universally applicable model. This article discusses some of the stresses on our own system.