TRIBUNE-REVIEW: The chief justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court “routinely accepts dinners, plane rides, tickets to sporting events, and rounds of golf from lawyers and businessmen, some of them with cases that go before the court,” reports The Philadelphia Inquirer.
That’s based on information contained in Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille’s financial disclosure forms. Accepting such things is perfectly legal — under rules the high court established for itself more than 30 years ago. Those same rules apply to all Pennsylvania judges save for district magistrates and those in traffic courts.
Mr. Justice Castille defends the system that allows it as promoting “transparency.” And, indeed, The Inquirer says it has found no pattern of favoritism to his benefactors. But the double standard here is troubling… (more)
