It is particularly disappointing in Florida, where open government is embedded in the state Constitution, that the judges of Pinellas and Pasco counties will meet in secret this week to vet a pair of candidates for chief judge. The longtime tradition of closed meetings to pick chief judges belies the significance of the decision at hand. The 69 county and circuit judges are filling one of the top law enforcement offices, and it is not just a ceremonial position. Someone with such power should get a public vetting.
In denying a St. Petersburg Times reporter's request to attend the meeting, outgoing Chief Judge Robert Morris said he was worried the presence of anyone but judges would have a "chilling effect" on the discussion of the two candidates. But the chief judge serves the people of the state, not just the judges in a closed room.
Recent history is a reminder of why sunshine is just as important in the courts as it is everywhere else in government. Morris' steady hand helped with a smart collaboration with the sheriff, state attorney and public defender to ease jail overcrowding. His predecessor was less willing to work with others in the criminal justice system — and mishandled disciplinary issues involving one judge who accessed pornography on his chamber's computer and another who became the subject of a JQC investigation after his arrest for public drunkenness at a California judicial conference.
The chief judge has considerable influence over how well the criminal justice system functions, and secrecy almost never serves democracy's interest. Nor will it this week in a closed-door meeting of 69 judges. Let's hope they choose wisely.
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