Comments on: Posner on Immigration Courts and Judges http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2008/04/posner_on_immig.html The Law, the Universe, and Everything Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:18:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Matt Lister http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2008/04/posner_on_immig.html/comment-page-1#comment-49474 Matt Lister Wed, 23 Apr 2008 04:36:26 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2008/04/posner-on-immigration-courts-and-judges.html#comment-49474 Thanks Deven- that's helpful. I worried that my remarks were only partly relevant to your point, which is a good one. My criticism of Posner (which is perhaps more based on some of the earlier things he's said on this issue) is just that I don't think he gives enough weight to the problems faced by immigration judges as opposed to scolding them for being bad judges. Some of them are and some for the reasons you mention. I simply worry that people will tend to put too much weight on that side of the issue. Thanks Deven- that’s helpful. I worried that my remarks were only partly relevant to your point, which is a good one. My criticism of Posner (which is perhaps more based on some of the earlier things he’s said on this issue) is just that I don’t think he gives enough weight to the problems faced by immigration judges as opposed to scolding them for being bad judges. Some of them are and some for the reasons you mention. I simply worry that people will tend to put too much weight on that side of the issue.

]]> By: Deven http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2008/04/posner_on_immig.html/comment-page-1#comment-49473 Deven Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:42:17 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2008/04/posner-on-immigration-courts-and-judges.html#comment-49473 Hmm, I think he is saying that judges need more in general from resources to training to a more coherent system in general. In other words the idea that the system is inadequate is the thrust of the idea. I did, however, go into judges and judging in general so perhaps this came across as a criticism of immigration judges. That was not the goal. Rather as you note, these judges face particular problems that require particular solutions. Nonetheless, insofar as one finds a judge acts on impulse, instinct, or intuition, it may be that occurence is not unique. Thanks for the thoughts Best Deven Hmm, I think he is saying that judges need more in general from resources to training to a more coherent system in general. In other words the idea that the system is inadequate is the thrust of the idea. I did, however, go into judges and judging in general so perhaps this came across as a criticism of immigration judges. That was not the goal. Rather as you note, these judges face particular problems that require particular solutions. Nonetheless, insofar as one finds a judge acts on impulse, instinct, or intuition, it may be that occurence is not unique.

Thanks for the thoughts

Best

Deven

]]> By: Matt Lister http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2008/04/posner_on_immig.html/comment-page-1#comment-49472 Matt Lister Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:34:49 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2008/04/posner-on-immigration-courts-and-judges.html#comment-49472 The problems Posner notes are all real and important but at least some of them should be cast as problems with the immigration court system rather than with immigration judges. (He does do that to some degree but should probably do it more than he does.) There are real and serious problems with many immigration judges (as with all judges!) but immigration judges are also in especially difficult situations compared to most judges (especially court of appeals judges) in that they have very, very limited resources- almost no clerk support, very limited research materials, primitive materials for recording, very little administrative support, and so on. On top of a huge case-load it's difficult to see how anyone could do a fully adequate job. The first and most important thing to do in improving the system, then, should be to provide many more resources. The problems Posner notes are all real and important but at least some of them should be cast as problems with the immigration court system rather than with immigration judges. (He does do that to some degree but should probably do it more than he does.) There are real and serious problems with many immigration judges (as with all judges!) but immigration judges are also in especially difficult situations compared to most judges (especially court of appeals judges) in that they have very, very limited resources- almost no clerk support, very limited research materials, primitive materials for recording, very little administrative support, and so on. On top of a huge case-load it’s difficult to see how anyone could do a fully adequate job. The first and most important thing to do in improving the system, then, should be to provide many more resources.

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