E: How is your role in government different from an elected official?
CW: This role is different from an elected official because it is nominated by the President of the United States. And, you can’t necessarily be biased in this type of position. The requirement for this job is to be independent and see the case from both sides, no matter what your personal point of view is.
E: How is it the same?
CW: We serve the people. Our jobs kind of work together in a way that is best for the country and serves to everyone’s needs.
E: Do you think judges should be elected? Explain why or why not.
CW: I don’t believe the people of America should be able to vote a judge into court. There are many different reasons to consider. As I said, a judge must be very independent and not put personal reason into any case. A majority of people believing in certain things or that belong to a certain political party can elect someone who only sees things from that point of view. That’s not necessarily what you want in the court. You want someone who can make decisions based on law.
E: What is judicial review?
CW: Judicial review is the power to review or cancel laws or acts of government that are not constitutional.
E: Please explain the role of judicial review in a case you recently decided.
CW: A case I recently worked in involved someone who stole and used people's credit cards from and in different states. The thief was convicted and sentenced to 20 years. However, this person appealed the sentence of 20 years in federal prison as extreme punishment in violation of the Bill of Rights. Obviously, judicial review gives the court the power to review the law if it is unconstitutional. This person claimed that this punishment was unconstitutional, and we had to review and search through our constitutional rights to confirm it.
E: Please explain how you arrived at your