Lincoln Confirmation Hearing: Sestak to be Associate Justice - Confirmed

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

I hereby nominate Sestak (also known as jk2020) to the office of associate justice for Lincoln, pending confirmation

x tack50

The nominee is invited to make an opening statement and then we will have time for questions.

[windjammer]

What are your views on the BK abortion ruling?

Given he wrote the opinion while being alone supporting it, I'm being genuinely curious

[Sestak]

I thank the Speaker and the General Court for their time in considering my nomination; I also thank Governor Tack for his confidence in me in selecting me for this vital role in our judiciary.

Over the past four and a half years, I have served Atlasia in a multitude of capacities in both the legislative and executive branches. I served in both houses of the old Congress as well as briefly in the new Senate earlier this year, and I have led both this region as Governor in 2020 and the nation as President last year. In terms of legal matters, I have argued several cases before the Supreme Court both as primary counsel for one of the involved parties and as amicus. As the primary editor of the Fifth Constitution and primary author of the current Federal Electoral Act and Census Act, I am also deeply familiar with most of the primary texts the Supreme Court operates on. I also advised now-Governor Tack on his authorship of the current Lincoln Constitution; though my involvement with that document is much more limited.

In general, my judicial philiosphy would generally be somewhat more permissive towards governments and their actions due to the fact that Atlasia is a government simulation game and allowing elected officials to have broad influence over policy is an important aspect of the game. However, this does not compel us to adopt a completely laissez-faire attitude with regards to legislative or executive actions; the federal and regional Constitutions are also a part of the game and thus we cannot ignore the rights and restrictions they confer. Special scrutiny must be applied to election laws and procedures, which, if abused, threaten to upend the very fabric of the game itself.


Once again, I thank the members of the General Court and welcome your questions.

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Under what circumstances should the regional court or the Supreme Court overturn precedent and is there any precedent in particular you feel was wrongly decided?

[Sestak]

What are your views on the BK abortion ruling?

Given he wrote the opinion while being alone supporting it, I'm being genuinely curious

The court has a long line of precedents on this issue, up to and including the previous Justice's controlling opinions in both Politics Fan and S019 II which set an important balance on this issue in the game. If confirmed, I would try to adhere to this line of precedents and maintain the balance that previous Courts have set.

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Under what circumstances should the regional court or the Supreme Court overturn precedent and is there any precedent in particular you feel was wrongly decided?

Still awaiting answer^

[Sestak]

Under what circumstances should the regional court or the Supreme Court overturn precedent and is there any precedent in particular you feel was wrongly decided?

Overturning precedent is something we should strive to avoid as much as possible; in order to preserve consistency within the game and maintain the integrity of the judiciary. It should only be reserved for cases where applying those precedents would (either directly or indirectly) force flagrant violations of the Constitution. The regional court dealing with the regional Constitution should also abide by this; the regional circuit court when dealing with the federal Constitution should abide by Supreme Court precedent in all circumstances.

As for individual precedents, I have not identified any that I wish to see overturned at this time.

[windjammer]

Sestak has my complete support.

He's a very knowledgeable poster who understands the concept of balance and like bacon king the need of the supreme court to have a more limited role than IRL

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Motion for a final vote.

Not my first choice, but some deference to the executive is merited. The nominee stood on the correct side of the Kansas Crisis and has very credible experience.

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

A vote on this nominee is beginning.

Aye

[ZMUN M441]

Aye

[nerd73]

Aye

[GregTheGreat657]

Aye

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Confirmed 4-0