|
Positions and Views on Other Issues where Information is Available: |
|
|
| Courts, Laws & Justice |
Positions and Views |
| Courts, a General Statement |
Biden: No Response |
| Criminal Justice System, a General Statement |
Biden: No Response |
| Justice Department |
Biden: No Response |
| Criminals Serving Their Full Terms |
Biden: Joe Biden has written legislation that provides funds to states for building prisons if they agree to keep their violent offenders behind bars for at least 85 percent of their sentence, currently state prisoners serve only 40 percent of their sentences behind bars on average.
Source: www.joebiden.com Date: 11/30/2007 |
| Three Strikes Criminal Sentencing Standard |
Biden: No Response |
| Videotaping Criminal Interrogations |
Biden: No Response |
| Mandatory Minimum Sentencing |
Biden: No Response |
| Jena Six Arrests and Prosecutions |
Biden: No Response |
| Crack-Powder Sentencing Disparity |
Biden: In 1986, Congress established a draconian sentencing scheme that punished the crack form of cocaine far more severely than the powder form. Currently, mere possession of 5 grams of crack triggers a five-year mandatory minimum sentence, while it takes distribution or manufacture of 500 grams of powder cocaine to trigger that same sentence. The assumptions that led Congress to establish this disparity – that crack is inherently more dangerous and addictive than powder, that crack would devastate communities, and that prenatal exposure to crack was far more damaging than exposure to powder – have proved unfounded. Joe Biden has proposed legislation to implement the US Sentencing Commission’s recommendation to eliminates the 100:1 disparity between the two forms of the drug. He also supports increasing funding for prison- and jail-based drug treatment programs. Senator Biden is opposed to being soft on drug traffickers – he supports stiffer penalties for major drug traffickers and additional resources for the investigation and prosecution of them.
Source: www.joebiden.com Date: 12/01/2007 |
| Death Penalty |
Biden: No Response |
| Judicial Discretion and Alternative Sentencing |
Biden: No Response |
| Voting Rights for X-Felons |
Biden: No Response |
| Property Rights and Eminent Domain |
Biden: No Response |
| Privacy Rights |
Biden: No Response |
| Obscenity Laws |
Biden: No Response |
| Activist Judges Legislating from the Bench |
Biden: No Response |
| Judicial Appointments |
Biden: Senator Biden has been a major voice of opposition to the Reagan and two Bush Administration's attempts to pack the federal courts with judges committed to a narrow view of the Constitution that denies women equal protection under the law.
Source: biden.senate.gov/issues Date: 04/22/2008 |
| Supreme Court Appointments of John Roberts and Samuel Alito |
Biden: The recent Supreme Court term proves that judges and justices can undo decades of progress on civil rights. That’s why Joe Biden has a well-earned reputation of being tough on judging judicial appointments. As chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, he kept Robert Bork off the Supreme Court. More recently, as a senior member of the Committee, he strongly opposed putting Bush nominees John Roberts and Samuel Alito on the Supreme Court, fearing what unfortunately has proven true – they want to erase decades of progress for minorities and women. As the Bush Administration continues to try to pack federal courts with judges committed to a narrow view of the Constitution that denies minorities and women equal protection, Senator Biden will remain the voice of opposition.
Source: www.joebiden.com Date: 12/01/2007 |
| Conservative / Liberal Balance on Supreme Court |
Biden: As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Joe Biden has been a voice of opposition to the Reagan and two Bush Administrations’ attempts to pack the federal courts with judges committed to a narrow view of the Constitution that denies women equal protection under the law.
Source: www.joebiden.com Date: 12/01/2007 |
| Federal Judges Confirmation Procedures |
Biden: No Response |
| Legal Reform, a General Statement |
Biden: No Response |
| Tort Reform and Frivolous Suits |
Biden: No Response |
| Alternative Dispute Resolution |
Biden: No Response |
| Product Liability Reform |
Biden: No Response |
| Caps on Punitive Damages |
Biden: No Response |
| Class Action Reform |
Biden: No Response |
| Bankruptcy Reform |
Biden: No Response |
| Bankruptcy Means-Testing & Restrictions |
Biden: No Response |