The Full Read · Article by Article
Cory Todd Wilson
Fifth Circuit · appt. Trump
7/7
🥇 Fit for the Bench
1Ethics & Recusalcritical
72%★ earned
“No man is allowed to be a judge in his own cause.” — Madison, Federalist No. 10
No documented disclosure, gift, or recusal violations since his 2020 confirmation to the Fifth Circuit.
2Fidelity to Democracycritical
73%★ earned
“…a government of laws, and not of men.” — Marshall, Marbury v. Madison
No documented defiance of higher courts or election-related misconduct; limited appellate record respecting the constitutional order.
3Judicial Temperament
72%★ earned
“Justice must satisfy the appearance of justice.” — Frankfurter
No documented reprimands or incivility findings; ABA rated him well-qualified, with a relatively thin appellate record.
4Reason, Not Ideology
71%★ earned
“We are not final because we are infallible…” — Robert H. Jackson
Limited public bench record; no documented pattern of grievance-driven or result-oriented rhetoric to date.
5Intellectual Honesty & Precedent
70%★ earned
“…to stand by things decided.” (stare decisis) — the common-law maxim
Prior partisan writings as a GOP legislator drew confirmation scrutiny, but no documented false testimony or candor finding exists.
6Independence from Party
65%★ earned
“The complete independence of the courts of justice is peculiarly essential.” — Hamilton, Federalist No. 78
Former Republican state legislator with limited documented crossings; kept modestly below neutral pending a fuller record.
7Personal Integrity
74%★ earned
“The time is always right to do what is right.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
No documented criminal, civil, or corruption matters; clean personal-conduct record on a limited public footprint.
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Scores are Independent 2026’s own editorial read against the Seven Articles — ≥60% earns the star. The first two Articles are critical: fail Ethics & Recusal or Fidelity to Democracy and there is no seal, whatever else holds. Each Article carries its founding quote as the yardstick. On bias →