Confirmation Hearing: Oakvale for Associate Justice (Confirmed)

[Napoleon]

Just from little old outsider me:

One of my concerns would be that, without Sam Spade, there's not actually a procedure-focused workhouse type of guy on the court. The type of guy that will spend a long time looking things up on the statute, or writing court opinions that are a a full post-limit long. Are you actually going to take this job very seriously, or end up writing opinions that are a paragraph long, or something?

Nobody knows Atlasian law better than Ebowed. Just because there haven't been any major cases recently doesn't change that.

In case this carries over to the next legislative session, I will vote in favor of this nominee despite his nomination by a tainted President. I know Senator Oakvale well and I have the utmost faith in his ability to be both reasonable and impartial. Likewise, I shall echo Senator bgwah's statements regarding Justice Ebowed as he has been preisdent for more than two terms, a longtime Senator, and Vice President. He is plenty able and experienced for the Chief Justice position.

Senator Oakvale may not have the long record of service that Justice Ebowed has, but my confidence in his knowledge of Atlasian law is strong. Senator Oakvale will make a first class Associate Justice.

[Napoleon]

If someone's going to be on the Court they're going to have to deal with this stuff. If they can't handle a few questions then they shouldn't have the job. It's what these threads are actually designed for. If people are actually so stubborn and full of themselves that they're willing to just ignore perfectly legitimate questions purely for the sake of personal grudges, that is their (and everyone else's) loss.

I have an issue with the nature of your questioning. With retrospect and public opinion in mind, any answers related to previously ruled cases will be meaningless. I would advise the nominee not to answer any questions aimed at using wedge issues to distract from the spirit of this confirmation hearing. We should be deciding whether or not his record shows good judgment, not focusing on silly questions that are unfit for such a determination of character.

[Napoleon]

If someone's going to be on the Court they're going to have to deal with this stuff. If they can't handle a few questions then they shouldn't have the job. It's what these threads are actually designed for. If people are actually so stubborn and full of themselves that they're willing to just ignore perfectly legitimate questions purely for the sake of personal grudges, that is their (and everyone else's) loss.

I have an issue with the nature of your questioning. With retrospect and public opinion in mind, any answers related to previously ruled cases will be meaningless. I would advise the nominee not to answer any questions aimed at using wedge issues to distract from the spirit of this confirmation hearing. We should be deciding whether or not his record shows good judgment, not focusing on silly questions that are unfit for such a determination of character.

And just how would deciding such be done appropriately then, if past cases can't be opined on?

Senator Oakvale has a lengthy record of service available for us to observe the quality of his overall judgment. Questions directed at the nominee ought to seek insight into how the nominee's judicial philosophy, approach, and knowledge of statute and case law make him worthy of confirmation. Questions should not work to bring political wedge issues to the forefront. The questions, as I explained earlier, are of limited use.

[Napoleon]

Yes. I understand what the honorable Senator-elect is saying. Though, I must once again state the people's opinions on what counts as an inappropriate wedge issue may differ. I for one thought Marokai's question, regarding the nominee's stance on the relevance of a plaintiff's "standing" in whether or not a case should be considered, to be perfectly reasonable and legitimate.

I agree, my concerns were those regarding specific rulings. Anything to do with court procedure is fair game.

[Napoleon]

Aye