--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My concerns through the years increased…" description: "\"My concerns through the years increased about the concerns of an independent judiciary and how we maintain it. Certainly in the states. I'm a product o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/701/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_arizona_my-concerns-through-the-years-increased_103486.jpg" --- # My concerns through the years increased about the concerns… ![“My concerns through the years increased about the concerns of an independent judiciary and how we maintain it. Certainly in the states. I'm a product of state government in my own state of Arizona. And it seemed to me that the popular election of judges was creating major problems in many states…” quote by Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/701/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_arizona_my-concerns-through-the-years-increased_103486.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/701/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_arizona_my-concerns-through-the-years-increased_103486.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/701/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_arizona_my-concerns-through-the-years-increased_103486.jpg) > “My concerns through the years increased about the concerns of an independent judiciary and how we maintain it. Certainly in the states. I'm a product of state government in my own state of Arizona. And it seemed to me that the popular election of judges was creating major problems in many states, and we had improved the system in Arizona. And I thought the nation ought to at least rethink how we select our nation's trial judges in the states.” [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. O'Connor warns that electing judges politicizes the judiciary, risking independence; she urges a reconsideration of selection methods to safeguard impartial adjudication. **In simple terms:** Electing judges may threaten judicial independence. Key Takeaway Selection process affects court impartiality. Themes judicial independence politics election reform Mood concerned analytical Type political analytical When to use this quote - State debates on merit‑based judicial appointments - Public campaigns for judicial recall - Legislative proposals to change judge selection Key Concepts separation of powers Practical Applications - Implement a merit‑selection commission with bipartisan oversight Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards can ensure merit‑selection remains unbiased? - Should citizens have a direct say in choosing judges? A Different Perspective Merit‑selection can still be influenced by political lobbying and lacks direct democratic accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arizona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arizona/) [Arizona Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arizona-thought-895630/) [Concern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concern/) [Creating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Independent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent/) [Independent judiciary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent-judiciary/) [Judges States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judges-states-1248638/) [Judging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judging/) [Judiciary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judiciary/) [Major problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/major-problems/) [Majors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majors/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Problems States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problems-states-1248639/) [Products](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/products/) [Select](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/select/) [State government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state-government/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Through the years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/through-the-years/) [Trials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trials/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I lived in Arizona, and I thought Florida was in California because I thought oranges came from the same place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-rubin/i-lived-in-arizona-and-i-thought-florida-was-in-california-because-i/) [Jennifer Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-rubin/) > [The framers of the Constitution were so clear in the federalist papers and elsewhere that they felt an independent judiciary was critical to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/the-framers-of-the-constitution-were-so-clear-in-the-federalist/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [The Constitution does not protect the sovereignty of States for the benefit of the States or state governments as abstract political entities, or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/the-constitution-does-not-protect-the-sovereignty-of-states-for-the/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [An independent judiciary does not mean judges independent of the Constitution from which they derive their power or independent of the laws that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/an-independent-judiciary-does-not-mean-judges-independent-of-the/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [The crisis of modern democracy is a profound one. Free elections, a free press and an independent judiciary mean little when the free market…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-crisis-of-modern-democracy-is-a-profound-one-free-elections-a/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The bedrock of our democracy is the rule of law and that means we have to have an independent judiciary, judges who can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-kennedy/the-bedrock-of-our-democracy-is-the-rule-of-law-and-that-means-we/) [Caroline Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-kennedy/) > [The reality is that our independent judiciary is the most respected branch of our government and the envy of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-olson/the-reality-is-that-our-independent-judiciary-is-the-most-respected/) [Ted Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-olson/) > [There is no rule of law in Zimbabwe; there's selective application of the rule of law. Patrick Chinamasa, who is the minister of justice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-bennett/there-is-no-rule-of-law-in-zimbabwe-there-s-selective-application-of/) [Roy Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-bennett/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [In Iran, there is no freedom of the press, no freedom of speech, no independent judiciary, no free elections. There is no freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/in-iran-there-is-no-freedom-of-the-press-no-freedom-of-speech-no/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The rule of law means that law and justice are upheld by an independent judiciary. The judgments of the European Court of Justice have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/the-rule-of-law-means-that-law-and-justice-are-upheld-by-an/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [I believe that an independent judiciary is the crown jewel of our constitutional republic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-kavanaugh/i-believe-that-an-independent-judiciary-is-the-crown-jewel-of-our/) [Brett Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-kavanaugh/) > [Slavery tolerates no freedom of the press, no freedom of speech, no freedom of opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hinton-rowan-helper/slavery-tolerates-no-freedom-of-the-press-no-freedom-of-speech-no/) [Hinton Rowan Helper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hinton-rowan-helper/) > [A judiciary independent of a king or executive alone, is a good thing; but independence of the will of the nation is a solecism,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-judiciary-independent-of-a-king-or-executive-alone-is-a-good-thing/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Mexico needs schools, rural development, and an independent judiciary, not high-tech weaponry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/mexico-needs-schools-rural-development-and-an-independent-judiciary/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) ## More by Sandra Day O'Connor > [When I went to law school, which after all was back in the dark ages, we never looked beyond our borders for precedents. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/when-i-went-to-law-school-which-after-all-was-back-in-the-dark-ages/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [I think I learned to appreciate and treasure each day, because you don't know how many you're going to be given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-think-i-learned-to-appreciate-and-treasure-each-day-because-you-don/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [I loved my husband very much, and it was heartbreaking to have him develop Alzheimer's disease, and to stand by and watch him decline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-loved-my-husband-very-much-and-it-was-heartbreaking-to-have-him/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [The courts of this country should not be the places where resolution of disputes begins. They should be the places where the disputes end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/the-courts-of-this-country-should-not-be-the-places-where-resolution/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [Young women today often have very little appreciation for the real battles that took place to get women where they are today in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/young-women-today-often-have-very-little-appreciation-for-the-real/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [You have to answer the question, like it or not. And the questions deserve a valid legal response, even if the response isn't one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/you-have-to-answer-the-question-like-it-or-not-and-the-questions/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [A fundamental premise of American democratic theory is that government exists to serve the people. ... Public records are one portal through which the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/a-fundamental-premise-of-american-democratic-theory-is-that/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [This chance will stand before you only once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/this-chance-will-stand-before-you-only-once/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [I care very much about women and their progress. I didn't go march in the streets, but when I was in the Arizona Legislature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-care-very-much-about-women-and-their-progress-i-didn-t-go-march-in/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [There was no hostility at the court when I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/there-was-no-hostility-at-the-court-when-i-arrived/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [And I went off to Stanford, I was pretty young and pretty naive. And I had a professor I really loved, who was himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/and-i-went-off-to-stanford-i-was-pretty-young-and-pretty-naive-and-i/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [The really expert riders of horses let the horse know immediately who is in control, but then they guide the horse with loose reins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/the-really-expert-riders-of-horses-let-the-horse-know-immediately-who/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [It is true that as you have children, there are a good many months when you don't want to be working full-time. I agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/it-is-true-that-as-you-have-children-there-are-a-good-many-months/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [The abortion cases produced an enormous amount of mail to my chambers, vastly more than to the other chambers, I am sure. I sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/the-abortion-cases-produced-an-enormous-amount-of-mail-to-my-chambers/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) > [The power I exert on the court depends on the power of my arguments, not on my gender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/the-power-i-exert-on-the-court-depends-on-the-power-of-my-arguments/) [Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) [Explore all 124 Sandra Day O'Connor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/) ## More Arizona quotes > [No man-made structure in all of American history has been hated so much, by so many, for so long, with such good reason, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/no-man-made-structure-in-all-of-american-history-has-been-hated-so/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Fifty thousand people in Mexico have been murdered. Puerto Penasco, 60 miles south of our border, just had five people and a police officer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-brewer/fifty-thousand-people-in-mexico-have-been-murdered-puerto-penasco-60/) [Jan Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-brewer/) > [I didn't know much about the Mexican gray wolf before January 2011, when we contributed a flight in our Pilatus PC12 to the effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-covey/i-didn-t-know-much-about-the-mexican-gray-wolf-before-january-2011/) [Joy Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-covey/) > [I'm an Arizona boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cejudo/i-m-an-arizona-boy/) [Henry Cejudo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cejudo/) > [I often say that Arizonans should decide what's best for Arizona.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-d-hull/i-often-say-that-arizonans-should-decide-what-s-best-for-arizona/) [Jane D. Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-d-hull/) > [I went to Phoenix, Arizona for 'Angel Unchained,' and they'd hire the bike gang from Phoenix to be extras in the movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bishop/i-went-to-phoenix-arizona-for-angel-unchained-and-they-d-hire-the/) [Larry Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bishop/) > [Sarah Palin is brilliant. She is a media magnet and a media magnate. She creates headlines and draws crowds wherever she goes, whether it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/sarah-palin-is-brilliant-she-is-a-media-magnet-and-a-media-magnate/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [Arizona just became the 15th state to approve medical marijuana. So I give it three days before they stop caring about the whole immigration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/arizona-just-became-the-15th-state-to-approve-medical-marijuana-so-i/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) > [If liberals had been in charge of the Arizona memorial, it would probably have featured an exhaustive exhibit about the internment of Japanese Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-charen/if-liberals-had-been-in-charge-of-the-arizona-memorial-it-would/) [Mona Charen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-charen/) > [I grew up in rural Arizona. My dad ran a general store. I grew up learning to do more with less. And I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-kirkpatrick/i-grew-up-in-rural-arizona-my-dad-ran-a-general-store-i-grew-up/) [Ann Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-kirkpatrick/) > [In the empire of desert, water is the king and shadow is the queen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/in-the-empire-of-desert-water-is-the-king-and-shadow-is-the-queen/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [What most people don't understand is that UFOs are on a cosmic tourist route. That's why they're always seen in Arizona, Scotland, and New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/what-most-people-don-t-understand-is-that-ufos-are-on-a-cosmic/) [Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/) > [Arizona faces many challenges ahead. None is more important or more pressing than passing a new state budget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-d-hull/arizona-faces-many-challenges-ahead-none-is-more-important-or-more/) [Jane D. Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-d-hull/) > [Legislators in Kansas, Arizona and 23 other states who are properly determined to protect religious freedom can begin by asking themselves: Does any religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blankenhorn/legislators-in-kansas-arizona-and-23-other-states-who-are-properly/) [David Blankenhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blankenhorn/) > [Arizona did not make illegal, illegal. It is a crime to enter or remain in the U.S. in violation of federal law. States have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-pearce/arizona-did-not-make-illegal-illegal-it-is-a-crime-to-enter-or-remain/) [Russell Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-pearce/) [Browse all 299 Arizona quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arizona/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My concerns through the years increased about the concerns of an independent judiciary and how we maintain it. Certainly in the states. I'm a product of state government in my own state of Arizona. And it seemed to me that the popular election of judges was creating major problems in many states, and we had improved the system in Arizona. 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