Santa Clara University

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 4, 2010 — As judges in Iowa and elsewhere get voted out of their seats by special-interest groups seeking to sway judicial decisions, a timely panel discussion entitled "Collegial Courts in a Contentious Climate" is being held Jan. 12 at Santa Clara University.

Moderated by Santa Clara University law professor Gerald Uelmen, the program aims to explore the impact of our current sharply partisan political climate upon the functioning of our courts at the highest level, as well as the difficulty of reaching political compromises.  Elected judges face particular problems, having to raise millions of dollars to retain their seats in contested elections.

The event, featuring panelists California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye and  Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Chief Judge Alex Kozinski, will be held Jan. 12 at the University’s Mayer Theatre from 5:30 to 7:45 p.m., 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, California 95053. More information is available at http://law.scu.edu/news/ingram-symposium-2011.cfm. The event is free for judges, Ingram Inn members, law students and faculty. The event is $35 for attorneys seeking CLE credit.

About the panelists

Chief Judge Alex Kozinski presides over the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.  The appointments to his court have been political battlegrounds, and the Court is now equally divided between Democratic and Republican appointees.  The issues before this Court, such as the gay marriage decision now under submission, are among the most contentious issues facing courts across the nation.

California's new Supreme Court Chief Justice, Tani Cantil-Sakauye, will be making one of her first public appearances since her appointment and confirmation by the voters.  Among the chief reasons cited for her appointment by Governor Schwarzenegger are her political savvy in working with the legislative and executive branches of state government.

Moderator Uelmen has spent much of the past 25 years studying and researching appellate courts and the increasing political vulnerability of their Justices.

Media are welcome to attend and are asked to RSVP with Deborah Lohse of SCU Media Relations.  The event is expected to be televised by C-SPAN.

About Santa Clara University School of Law
Santa Clara University School of Law, founded in 1911 on the site of California’s oldest operating higher-education institution, is dedicated to educating lawyers who lead with a commitment to excellence, ethics, and social justice. One of the nation’s most diverse law schools, Santa Clara Law offers its 1,000 students an academically rigorous program, including graduate degrees in international law and intellectual property law; combined J.D./MBA and J.D./MSIS degrees; and certificates in intellectual property law, international law, and public interest and social justice law. Santa Clara Law is located in the world-class business center of Silicon Valley, and is distinguished nationally for its top-ranked program in intellectual property. For more information, see http://law.scu.edu.

About Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University is a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located 40 miles south of San Francisco in California’s Silicon Valley. Santa Clara offers its more than 8,800 students rigorous undergraduate programs in arts and sciences, business, and engineering, plus master’s degrees in a number of professional fields, law degrees, and engineering and theology doctorates. Distinguished by one of the highest graduation rates among all U.S. master’s universities, Santa Clara educates leaders of competence, conscience, and compassion grounded in faith-inspired values. Founded in 1851, Santa Clara is California’s oldest operating institution of higher education. For more information, see www.scu.edu.

Media Contact:
Deborah Lohse | SCU Media Relations | (408) 554-5121 | dlohse@scu.edu