Madam, - The suggestion from David McCarthy (October 16th) that our judges should be elected ought to be dismissed. The likely result of such a move is that the mandated officials would dispense justice rather than the law.
An appalling vista. - Yours etc,
ROBERT TOWERS, Monkstown, Co Dublin.
Madam, - David McCarthy's suggestion is unworkable and objectionable on several grounds.
While politics is de facto popular and, it seems, increasingly populist, our legal system benefits from the rational and impartial decisions of judges who are not under the yoke of seeking public re-election every few years nor subject to the vagaries of public opinion. Unpopular but necessary and legally correct decisions - such as striking down the clearly unconstitutional statutory rape legislation, for example - could not have been reached by judges who were constantly having regard to their public approval ratings.
Secondly, laws are made for people in general, not specific cases, and therefore must lay down broad principles and tests capable of varied application. No matter how simplified the legislation, a considerable amount of interpreting skill is necessary to apply a law to different factual situations. This is not due to "legalese" or deliberately oblique language but required by the multiplicity of possible applications of a statute. - Yours, etc,
JACK HICKEY, Dalkey, Co Dublin.
Madam, - It is difficult enough to accept that we get the politicians we deserve. I dread the day we get the judges we deserve. - Yours, etc,
ARTHUR TANNER, Green Park, Dublin 14.