Missouri’s top judge said the court system faces increased financial and political pressures on Thursday.
Judge William Ray Price discussed judicial issues with Capitol reporters on his final day as Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court.
On the court for almost two decades, William Ray Price ended his second two-year term as Chief Justice on Thursday. He told reporters state budget cuts have put more strain on the courts, which must figure out how to be efficient without cutting corners on fair treatment.
“We will have to work very, very hard to provide people the type of individual justice, individual rights we expect here in the United States,” Price said.
Price also said the courts are getting increased political pressure from activists who want to change how appellate court judges are selected.
During his tenure as chief justice, Price took steps to make the process more transparent, releasing the identities of the applicants for judicial vacancies and the answers they give on questionnaires. He stopped short of calling that a compromise.
“The people who challenged the plan refused to talk to us. So there is very little way to compromise with people who just won’t talk to you,” he said. “They just run initiative campaigns.”
The 59-year-old jurist also told reporters it may be time to consider raising Missouri’s mandatory retirement age for judges. The state often puts retired judges to work as senior judges, paying salary and retirement benefits at the same time.
“It would be a place we could save money if we extended that age to 75,” he said.
Price will be replaced as chief justice by Judge Richard Teitelman. Price will remain on the court and said he has no plans to retire anytime soon.
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