oregon supreme court questioning

Oregon Supreme Court Justice Rives Kistler, center, asks a question as Justice Virginia L. Linder, left, and Chief Justice Thomas A. Balmer, right, during a capital punishment case argued in Eugene.

(Randy L. Rasmussen/The Oregonian)

Oregon gets an “F” in transparency when it comes to its Supreme Court.

That's according to a report released today by The Center for Public Integrity.

Oregon's not alone. All but 8 states got failing grades in the national ranking, which judged the availability of financial disclosures and the details those disclosures revealed about a judge's personal financial interests.

Oregon elected officials are required by state ethics law to submit annual "statements of economic interest." The center found that those reports are helpful in letting the public know where judges and their spouses earn money. But they didn't go far enough in requiring judges to disclose how much they earned from their business and investment interests.

California topped the state rankings, earning a C overall. The federal bench scored better, earning a B.

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-- Christian Gaston