The addition of a deputy justice to the Student Government Judicial Branch was approved Sept. 14 at the SG Senate meeting, and the position will be filled by one of the nine University Court justices today after elections within the branch.
Danielle Rushing, agricultural business junior and SG chief justice, said the main purposes for creating the new deputy justice position include eliminating bias, providing a more efficient system and cutting out time lags.
“Other schools have this position for a reason,” she said. “The new position will create a bigger gap between bias, and we want the process to be as unbiased as possible. The deputy chief will be elected in the same manner as the chief Legislative.”
On Sept. 13, the SG Rules Committee voted against the addition of the deputy justice position, but Senate Speaker Aaron Caffarel added the amendment back for discussion at the Sept. 14 Senate meeting. After further discussion, all but two senators approved the amendment.
Rushing said the whole process is complicated, and at the time, many senators didn’t completely understand why the addition was necessary.
While the University Court approved the addition, Caffarel also signed the amendment.
The court is waiting for the pending signature from SG President Cody Wells this week.
 
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Contact Kate Mabry at [email protected]