ASM Student Judiciary Chief Justice

Position Title: ASM SJ Chief Justice (1)
Organization Name: ASM Student Judiciary
Incumbent Status: Must be a currently enrolled student at UW-Madison
Selection Process: Justices serve a two-year term, except in cases when they
are appointed to fill a vacancy. Terms are year round appointments but little is done in the summer. Chief Justice usually elected annually, although frequency of election is at the discretion of court.
Advertising Vacancy: Students must apply to ASM. ASM Nominations Committee interviews applicants to advertised position of justice, and makes appointments subject to Student Council approval. The Student Judiciary then votes on its internal officers including Chief Justice.
Terms of Office: May 1- April 30
Total Payment: $3,800.00
Hours Per Week: 20 hrs/wk
Paid Hourly Elsewhere on Campus: This position, to my knowledge, does not exist anywhere else on campus.

Explanation of Duties:

  • Performs all the duties of an associate justice of the court (research, review, and be familiar with past cases);
  • Learn the ASM constitution, by-laws, and rules of procedure;
  • Operate an orderly courtroom;
  • Provide information to the Student Council regarding court procedure;
  • Act as a check on Council power;
  • Act as a liaison for students to keep Council members accountable;
  • Act as a watchdog for rule of procedure for Council;
  • Write decisions;
  • Hear cases;
  • Required to hold office hours;
  • Provide forum for student, RSOs and election complaints;
  • In addition to hearing cases, the Judiciary is charged with running elections. All Justices are expected to know the basic rules and procedures of the elections. However, one Justice is elected each year to be the Student Election Commissioner (SEC Chair) and head of the Student Election Commission. In 1999-2000, the Judiciary created a new position to help the SEC function more efficiently, the SEC Vice Chair.
  • Create agendas, hold meetings weekly and leads Student Judiciary meetings;
  • Presides over all meetings of the court and all en banc appeals;
  • Create a yearly budget yearly for Student Judiciary and SEC based on input solicited from court members;
  • Oversees all operations of the court, authorizes requisitions, and reviews and approves schedule reports required of court officers;
  • Grants preliminary relief and performs emergency actions on behalf of the court, and acts in place of a panel on pretrial matters when that duty has not been otherwise delegated;
  • Ensures publication as required of all court materials, including biennial publication in indexed, book form of all ASMSJ decisions, and on-line publication of all SJ decisions, meeting minutes, a listing of the regular meeting time and the scheduled location for those meetings, and copies of the ASM Constitution, Bylaws, and SJRP. The CJ also works to find ways to upload complaints, answers and meeting and hearing agendas.
  • Submits biweekly reports of CJ activities;
  • Assigns hearing panels;
  • Fosters debate on constitutional matters and cases;
  • Distributes various court maintenance assignments;
  • Acts as liaison between Council and the court;
  • Swears in new officers of the ASM;
  • Acts as the spokesperson for the court and chief liaison between the court and UW Administration, ASM and external parties. In that capacity attends meetings of ASM bodies and offers reports as desired;
  • Aids SEC in elections;
  • Oversees all Student Judiciary matters;
  • Registers Student Judiciary as a UW-Madison student organization with Student Organization Office; and
  • Regulates Judicial and election legislation.
  • Any other duties as required by the SJ Rules of Procedure.

Educational components of the position:

  • Justices learn how to relate to others in a courtroom setting;
  • They learn how to operate orderly meetings and rules of order. Dispute resolution is a key element to life that everyone could use;
  • Justices also need to become familiar with the ASM constitution, by-laws, and past cases; this helps students to become familiar with the law and understand court decisions;
  • Justices learn how to write decisions and justify court opinions;
  • Provides all the benefits identifies with service as an associate justice to a heightened degree, especially opportunity for leadership and contact with the structure and inner-workings of the UW-Madison;
  • Justice learns the skills necessary to exercise managerial responsibility over a group of eight justices; and
  • Justice learns the necessary skills for budget development.

ASM Student Council is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer.
People of color, women, lesbian, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people and people with disabilities encouraged to apply.
Student status required for employment.