Justice delayed is Justice denied... Day 25

British politician William Gladstone is credited with the observation that Justice delayed is Justice denied. But anyone who's been a victim of a crime, who has to watch the system drag on long after the criminal has been caught red handed knows this truth all too well. And so it is as we count down the days until Judge Hinson leaves office. (I've not been one of his victims, but I empathize with you who have.)

It's been almost a year since this complaint was filed. It's been eight years (2001) since the authorities knew about Judge Hinson's first (known) violation of the Constitution and the Legislature's oversight law. Why is this taking so long? Why didn't the Commission on Judicial Conduct demand his ouster immediately? Why hasn't our Arizona Supreme Court rejected the deal, demanding he step down from the bench immediately? Where's the State Bar on this?

I can only conclude that, ultimately, they don't know Justice. Not just "don't care." Worse. Don't know. Something I've observed is typical of those in the legal system, even at the very top.

I watched Justice Breyer of the United States Supreme Court wax on C-SPAN about the mechanics of how the Supreme Court determines what cases it will review. In two hours of talking, the Justice never once mentioned the word "justice." It's simply not in their vocabulary. The sign of a godless society. How sad.

In the case with Judge Hinson, there's some speculation that he was allowed to hang on until the end of September because, ahem, coincidentally, that's the end of the 3rd Quarter. Speculation is that there are financial implications in that. See, he was elected to office in the 4th Quarter of 2004. Letting him hang on until the end of Q3 would take him to the end of a full year of "service." If someone in the know wants to send me an anonymous comment to source this, please do.

This is a bit perverse, but I suppose we should be thankful that the Commission is making him leave at all. More than ten years ago, in 1997, "A superior court judge [Judge Bradshaw] was [only] suspended without pay for 90 days for failing to render decisions in 28 cases within 60 days from the date the matters were submitted or taken under advisement. The judge also signed 18 salary certificates in which he falsely certified that he had no causes under advisement for more than 60 days. In re Bradshaw, JC-97-0001 (June 6, 1997)."

Remind you of anyone? (A little comic relief.) Isn't this the exact same thing that Judge Hinson did? Oh... except he only filed "inaccurate" salary certifications. But don't say he falsified them. (Even though he structured them?) So again, we should be thankful the authorities are making him leave at all.

Unfortunately, there are consequences to these delays that go beyond the matter at hand. Whether you believe the Bible is the Word of God or not, I trust you'll believe this part. Like William Gladstone, wise King Solomon observed more than 3000 years ago that, When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong. Ecclesiastes 8:11

Amen?