Improve the Justice System???

U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer 11/8/24 93 Spring St. suite 408 Newton., NJ 07860 Dear Congressman Josh Gottheimer, Greetings on this glorious day. I hope that you and the loved ones are in good health and are getting along. I am writing to you on ways to improve the Justice System here in the United States. Here in the United States we should try to aim for where the not guilty accused of wrongdoing are found not guilty, as well as the guilty to be found guilty in the eyes of the Law. It does not have to be overemphasized that in the United States, in my lifetime - 68 years, this has not always been the case - not even close to it! So the following reforms should be instituted: Enact a 7 year moratorium on the use of the death penalty. Over the seven year moratorium period, if the following reforms were also instituted and other reforms throughout the country involving police departments were instituted, the Justice System would be greatly improved and confidence in the system by the public would be greatly increased (this shift would also instigate other reforms to improve the system). Increase the size of the Supreme Court to 12 members. Although the country has increased in size since the Supreme Court had last increased to 9 members (1869), the Court has remained at 9 members - meaning 5 members held the power of the Court over these years and years to come if the Court doesn’t increase in size. Create 2 new levels of courts within the Justice system: One level right below the Supreme Court, made up of 9 justices (maybe 9 created over a 6 year span). As first proposed by Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger in 1983, Burger said a dramatic restructuring is necessary to “avoid a breakdown of the system – or some of the justices.” This will allow the Supreme Court to spend more time on each case, and they wouldn’t have to review as many cases because the new level of Court would view cases, and so decrease the backlog of cases now in the system. The other level to take up appeals for those that have been accused of committing felonies (especially murder cases), and other high misdemeanors (maybe create 54 over a 7 year period) made up of 7 justices. This will allow more alleged criminals to appeal their cases - how many people wrongfully incarcerated have there been over the last 40 years (or over the last 60 years), or how many people cases have been delayed because of the backload of cases? Remember, justice delayed is justice denied. Right now the poor have but a public defender to help them in their case (or they may defend themselves) when accused of a crime. There aren’t enough great public defenders (plus there is a backload of cases) and their expertise, as opposed to the attorneys those defendants that are rich can afford (high priced attorneys with expertise in different aspects of Law) probably don’t compare. So let’s create a voucher payment system for the poor and/or working poor as follows (and the Miranda Warning would have to include the phrase “or a government voucher may be applied to your case”): For those accused of Felonies: A voucher worth up to $60,000 - $3,775,000. Monies could be used for the original case, and any and all subsequent appeals. For those accused of Misdemeanors: A voucher worth up to $15,000 - $1,337,500. For those accused of Disorderly Persons offenses: A voucher worth up to $5,500 - $425,000. Just think of how many innocent people would be found not guilty if they were given more resources (the voucher shown above) to help plead for their innocence, and to fight for their innocence. Also, if less innocent people get sent to prisons, there would be less cost to the taxpayers, although the vouchers themselves would be an added expense to the system (as would the new judges appointed in the two new levels of courts). Another reform that would improve the judicial system throughout the United States would be by making any term of judge in the States to be at least 11 years - so that campaigning would be less frequent and the cost to the system overall would be less. This reform would also encourage more States to increase the terms of judges, to provide more independence of the judiciary. There would probably be more calls for reform once, or even during, the making of the above reforms were instituted. The aim of the reforms should always be to provide a more perfect system where those not guilty should be found not guilty and those guilty should be found guilty. Thank you for all your help. Hope that you and the loved ones have a joyous and peaceful day. May the good LORD, our Creator LORD, bless you and the loved ones with love, joy, peace, and patience! In hope, peace, and love, Ken Miller kmillerbloggerablogbyken@gmail.com