So far as I know, you can no longer become a judge in this country — with the possible exception of "Justice in the Peace," restricted to handling minor misdemeanor matters in rural areas — unless you're a lawyer and "officer of the court" who vows in advance to uphold unconstitutional drug and gun laws, et cetera.

I don't mean you "can't become a judge" because no one would vote for you, which would be a bad enough indictment of the current popular understanding of "limited government." No, I mean you're not even allowed on the ballot (or, in "appointment-only" states, on the list of three finalists submitted to the governor.)

Receive a pro tem appointment, announce you're not going to convict or even bother to try anyone for any unconstitutional "drug offenses," and see how fast your temporary appointment is revoked.

Look up courageous attorney Marc Victor of Arizona.

Campaign for a judgeship by promising to throw half the cases out of court? That's an "ethics violation"! You could be "removed from the ballot."

"That's because judges are only supposed to enforce the laws, not make the laws," squawk the smug parrots of statism.