The Full Read · Article by Article
Don R. Willett
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 during his Texas Supreme Court and Fifth Circuit service.
2Fidelity to Democracycritical
74%★ earned
“…a government of laws, and not of men.” — Marshall, Marbury v. Madison
No documented defiance of higher courts or election-related misconduct; conventional record respecting the constitutional order.
3Judicial Temperament
74%★ earned
“Justice must satisfy the appearance of justice.” — Frankfurter
No documented reprimands or incivility findings; gave up his popular Twitter account on taking the federal bench.
4Reason, Not Ideology
73%★ earned
“We are not final because we are infallible…” — Robert H. Jackson
Textualist writing with documented willingness to question qualified-immunity doctrine, reflecting reasoning over reflexive result-orientation.
5Intellectual Honesty & Precedent
72%★ earned
“…to stand by things decided.” (stare decisis) — the common-law maxim
No documented inconsistency with confirmation testimony or citable candor concerns on the record.
6Independence from Party
68%★ earned
“The complete independence of the courts of justice is peculiarly essential.” — Hamilton, Federalist No. 78
Documented qualified-immunity skepticism that departs from expected law-and-order alignment, a modest crossing above the neutral baseline.
7Personal Integrity
75%★ 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 and off the bench.
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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 →