| Racial Profiling and the Criminal Justice System |
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| Racial profiling refers to the law enforcement practice of using race as a factor in deciding who is a suspicious person that should be investigated. Racial profiling is illegal.
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| Judges' Membership in Discriminatory Organizations |
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| Every state has a code of judicial conduct that sets ethical guidelines for judges. All states have judicial conduct commissions with the power to investigate, prosecute, and decide cases of judicial misconduct. There is also a code of conduct for federal judges. The code of judicial conduct requires a judge to avoid not only impropriety but also the appearance of impropriety. The code of judicial conduct also covers judicial integrity, independence, diligence and impartiality. Membership in discriminatory organizations is currently a controversial topic. More... |
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| Judicial Precedent |
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| The doctrine of stare decisis (which means "stand by what has been decided") is the legal principle underlying judicial precedent. When a court lays down a principle of law as applying to a particular set of facts, the court will apply that principle to all future cases where the facts are substantially similar. Under stare decisis, a judicial decision made in one case is binding on all later cases with similar facts. More... |
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| Judicial Immunity |
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| As a general rule, judges are immune or protected from lawsuits seeking money damages for any actions performed by the judge as part of his or her official duties. Judicial immunity shields a judge from liability for unpopular or controversial judgments. A judge can be sued for money damages based on his or her nonjudicial actions (actions not made in a judge's official capacity). A judge is also liable for actions that are judicial in nature but are taken when the judge lacks jurisdiction or authority over the matter. More... |
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| Diversity in the Courts |
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| While great strides have been made in reducing racial and ethnic discrimination in all areas of society, the problem is not completely gone. It is essential to public confidence in the courts to assure a racial and ethnic neutral court system. Starting in 1988, task forces were implemented in many states to address racial and ethnic discrimination issues in the courts. More... |
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