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John Robson: The supreme hubris of Richard Wagner

Wagner’s war on criticism exposes the judiciary’s growing conceit — and why Parliament must rediscover its constitutional duty to check it

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Evidently we mere mortals are not to criticize judges. So says… a judge. The judge. Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard Wagner recently complained that “rhetorical attacks” on the justice system weakened the system. Yeah? Well pardon my vulgar lèse-majesté but what weakens the system is inept hubris. And you’re it.

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As Ben Woodfinden wrote critically, Wagner’s annual news conference “now-familiar themes” included “that criticizing court decisions risks casting judges as ‘partisan actors’ or as ‘obstacles to the will of the people’” and that a non-partisan judiciary “sheltered from all politicization’ is essential to the rule of law.” Politicization as in criticism or accountability.

John Robson: The supreme hubris of Richard Wagner Back to video

Wagner would not deny that other people must be scrutinized and corrected. It’s what he and his colleagues do, albeit with increasing languor, from on high. Way up high. As Woodfinden complained, “A bronze likeness of the sitting chief justice now stands in the Supreme Court’s entrance, paid........

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