Interesting item in the Toledo Blade -
Article published Saturday, October 15, 2005
Judges 'for hire'
A STATE law that permits retired judges to, in effect, hire themselves out to preside over civil cases can help counties with crowded dockets, but legitimate questions have been raised. Foremost among them: Should "private" judges be utilized in a public legal system when they are not held to the same public accountability as elected judges?
The matter recently became an issue when the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that some common pleas court judges in northeast Ohio are dismayed with the 1987 law.
The most disturbing prospect is that wealthy litigants could basically "shop" for a judge. Private judges can earn $20,000 for a two-week trial, a fee shared by the parties. While both sides must agree to hire such a judge, and a person of average means could just say no, the arrangement still offers a different level of justice to those who can afford it. Their case can be heard relatively swiftly, unlike the months or even years it might take to get a resolution in the traditional manner.
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It happens. Robert Glickman, 39, is a Cuyahoga County judge who was appointed to the common pleas bench by Gov. Bob Taft. After being defeated in his first election, he retired, then hired himself out as a private judge.
more:
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051015/OPINION02/510150306