[JURIST] The West Virginia House of Delegates on Wednesday approved legislation [HB 2010, PDF] to make the state’s judicial elections nonpartisan. The bill is sponsored by Republican delegate Kayla Kessinger [official profile], and it would apply to magistrates, family courts, circuit courts and the state supreme court. This legislation is a step toward addressing the perception that the state’s courts have been influenced by partisan politics at times. West Virginia is currently one of only seven states with state supreme court justices elected by partisan vote. The bill passed the House of Delegates 90-9 and now moves to Senate for a vote. If the bill is approved, it will take effect during the May 2016 primary.

Political and monetary influence in judicial systems has become a worldwide acknowledged. Last month the US Supreme Court [official website] heard oral arguments [JURIST report] on whether candidates for judicial office that personally solicit campaign funds violate the First Amendment. In October Panama officials suspended a justice [JURIST report] on the Panama Supreme Court for corruption charges. Last January the European Commission [official website] warned Romania to end political pressure [JURIST report] on the judiciary. In September 2013 Myanmar’s parliament proposed a bill [JURIST report] that would form groups to oversee judicial proceedings to steer the courts from outside influence and corruption.