The threat to our democracy is as serious as Wood’s political ambition
We fear the impartiality of Arkansas’ Supreme Court is lost forever.
Recent actions by Associate Justice Rhonda Wood threaten to undermine the court’s job to rise above partisan politics and uphold justice and the rule of law. Wood’s decisions from the bench, as well as her association with the Republican Party, jeopardize the foundational principle of separation of powers.
Supreme court impartiality is rooted in the principle that justice must be administered without bias. This principle ensures that all individuals are treated equally under the law. Since their inception, supreme courts have been designed to function as independent arbiters, free from the influence of political parties, special interests, or personal beliefs. This impartiality is crucial because it upholds the integrity of the legal system, ensuring that decisions are based solely on the law and the facts of each case, rather than on the whims of those in power.
The legitimacy of the judiciary—and by extension, the entire democratic system—depends on the public’s trust that judges will render decisions that are fair, just, and in accordance with the Constitution. When this trust is eroded by partisanship, it not only undermines the rule of law but also threatens the stability and fairness of the society as a whole. This extends beyond the bench to include a justice’s political and social behavior.
Justice Wood’s overt partisanship is evident in her rulings and her public conduct, particularly her recent decision to block an abortion-rights ballot proposal and her full-court press to campaign with Republicans across the state.
The ruling was not just legally questionable but also transparently partisan; it aligned perfectly with the interests of the Republican state officials, including Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Secretary of State John Thurston, and Attorney General Tim Griffin. By supporting the secretary’s contrived legal requirement, Justice Wood effectively silenced the voices of Arkansas voters. She prioritized partisan loyalty over judicial integrity.
The judicial system is designed to be a check on the executive and legislative branches, ensuring that laws are applied fairly and without bias. When a judge like Rhonda Wood allows partisan interests to dictate her decisions, she blurs the line between these branches, eroding the checks and balances that are essential to a functioning democracy.
This extremist partisanship is not just a threat to those on one side of the political spectrum; it endangers all Arkansans. When the judiciary becomes a tool of the executive branch— or collateral from political pursuits— all citizens lose the protection that an impartial legal system is supposed to provide.
Today, it might be abortion rights that are at risk; tomorrow, it could be any other fundamental right that falls out of favor with the ruling party. The erosion of judicial independence sets a dangerous precedent, leading to a society where the law is no longer a shield for the vulnerable but instead a weapon for the politically powerful.
Justice Rhonda Wood’s actions in and out of the courtroom are troubling. If the court continues down this path of partisan subservience, the state’s democracy and the rule of law will be irreparably damaged.
The judiciary must remain separate from the political machinations of the other branches, or we risk losing the very freedoms that the courts are meant to protect.