Republican lawmakers in at least five states are taking steps to expand their authority over judges with whom they disagree over criminal and civil matters.
Supporters of bills introduced this year in Louisiana, New Hampshire, Montana and Utah say the measures are meant to increase accountability and oversight of the judicial branch. But opponents of the bills — mostly Democrats and good-government groups — warn that allowing lawmakers to remove judges over their application of the law, rather than strictly for bad behavior, risks eroding judicial independence.
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