InBrief

In the United States, judges are selected by voters in 39 states. US journal Mother Jones reports on how special interest groups are spending increasing amounts of money to help elect their preferred state judges. For example: "In West Virginia in 2004, the CEO of Massey Energy spent $3 million on his preferred Supreme Court candidate; that justice later cast the deciding vote to overturn a $50 million verdict against the company—a nearly 1,600 percent return on investment." Learn more here.