Judges feel the effects of election

If you’re going before a judge, here in Washington, make certain you don’t have to do it during an election year.

A 21-year study of sentencing patterns among state judges, show that sentences got more severe the closer to election day. In some 30,000 cases studied in this state, sentences were, on the average, 10 percent greater during a year when the judge was up for re-election. (In the cases of those running unopposed, it was higher up to the filing deadline.)

Retiring judges didn’t show any difference in sentencing.