Can you be a Judge ???

[Just thinking]

I recently gave this some thought as to whether or not I myself could actually sit in front of a case and decide whether or not a specific punishment could be administered. Sure, it's a bit easier to look down at someone and find them guilty of some violent crime or activity and throw the book at them for not knowing better or applying reasonable restraint. But that's not what most cases are about. (At least I hope not.) I'm thinking of those cases for non-violent offenses that I myself may have been guilty of, only I was never caught. Traffic offenses come to mind -- or other similar items. Can I really lay down the law to others knowing that as a judge I can pretty much get away with such things? And if I give out small penalties, what will that do to the support of my police staff? Or if I strongly think that the manditory penalties are way too small -- or great? It really makes me wonder what I would need to have as a person to do this?

Can you?

[Bjorn]

I think it was Jean Paul Sartre who said that "when you choose, you choose for everyone".

If you choose to cheat on your wife ...
If you choose to drive faster than the speed limit ...
If you choose to smoke some pot ...

... how can you, without being elitist, deny other people the freedom to choose the same? Or, to bring it a bit further - if you decide that some laws can be broken because it's convenient or feels good and nobody's looking, who are you to decide that other people cannot decide the same about other laws?

[Luke T.]

I think it was Jean Paul Sartre who said that "when you choose, you choose for everyone".

If you choose to cheat on your wife ...
If you choose to drive faster than the speed limit ...
If you choose to smoke some pot ...

... how can you, without being elitist, deny other people the freedom to choose the same? Or, to bring it a bit further - if you decide that some laws can be broken because it's convenient or feels good and nobody's looking, who are you to decide that other people cannot decide the same about other laws?

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time...

[Bjorn]

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time...Indeed. However, I would rather say don't do the crime if you would punish others for doing the same. ;)

[Cleopatra]

There is an old saying according to which, only failed lawyers make it as judges.

[TragicMonkey]

I think it might be necessary, in these sad and sorry modern times, to include the question to potential judges "Can you preside at trials without pleasuring yourself with novelty sex devices on the bench?" I would have thought it unnecessary to ask, but time makes fools of us all.

[Cleopatra]

I think it might be necessary, in these sad and sorry modern times, to include the question to potential judges "Can you preside at trials without pleasuring yourself with novelty sex devices on the bench?" I would have thought it unnecessary to ask, but time makes fools of us all.
LOL. You see? Even the most progressive members of the society expect from a judge to be extremely conservative for himself. ;)

[Bjorn]

I think it might be necessary, in these sad and sorry modern times, to include the question to potential judges "Can you preside at trials without pleasuring yourself with novelty sex devices on the bench?" I would have thought it unnecessary to ask, but time makes fools of us all.Evidence, please. With pictures.