The petition to repeal the Non-Partisan Court Plan gets approved.

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10/ 2/2012: Radio Story - Amendment 3 causes controversy for the Missouri Non-partisan Court Plan

Intro:	An initiative petition would require judges from the state's highest courts to run in partisan elections.
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Wrap: Nonpartisan judges would have to run in elections if the state's current court plan is repealed.

A self described conservative foundation submitted a repeal to the Missouri Plan in attempt to give citizens a chance to elect judges.

Currently, a nominating committee chooses three candidates, in which the governor can choose from to appoint as a judge.

Skip Walther is a member of a committee opposed to the repeal. He says the petition would change the justice system into a political game.

Actuality:	WALTHER1.WAV
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Description: “These petitions would turn our judges into politicians in a time when that’s the last thing we need to do.”

Actuality: WALTHER1.WAV

Run Time: 00:05
Description: “These petitions would turn our judges into politicians in a time when that’s the last thing we need to do.”

If the petition gets enough signatures it will be placed on a state wide ballot in order to get state approval.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I’m Shannon O’Brien.

Intro:	An initiative petition has been cleared for circulation making the state's highest judges run in partisan elections.
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OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: A self described conservative foundation submitted a repeal to the state's current court plan. The foundation's website states the Missouri Plan appoints judges who reflect liberal interest group's views.

But former president of the Missouri Bar Association Pat Starke says the main thing people want when electing a judge is fairness.

Actuality:	STARKE1.WAV
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Description: “What we don’t want is a judge who is going to advocate for whatever particular group elected him. That is the fundamental difference between electing judges and electing politicians."

If the petition gets enough signatures it will be placed on a state wide ballot in order to get state approval.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Shannon O'Brien.

Intro:	A petition has been cleared for circulation that would require nonpartisan judges to act as politicians
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OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: A petition to repeal the current state's court plan would alter how judges are chosen for spots in the Supreme and Appellate Courts.

The self described conservative foundation states on their website that the Missouri Plan appoints judges not based on merit.

But, Skip Walther who is a member of a committee strongly opposed to this repeal says the opposite.

Actuality:	WALTHER2.WAV
Run Time:	00:08
Description: “Currently our judges are selected based upon their intelligence and integrity, and competence and experience."

If the petition gets enough signatures it will be placed on a state wide ballot in order to get state approval.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Shannon O'Brien.