The Full Read · Article by Article
Richard Gaylore Stearns
District of Massachusetts · appt. Clinton
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
A defense recusal motion in the Tsarnaev case ran the normal appellate process without any finding of misconduct; otherwise clean record.
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 across a long tenure; respects the constitutional order.
3Judicial Temperament
72%★ earned
“Justice must satisfy the appearance of justice.” — Frankfurter
No documented reprimands or credible complaints about courtroom civility; temperament appears unremarkable on the record.
4Reason, Not Ideology
72%★ earned
“We are not final because we are infallible…” — Robert H. Jackson
No documented pattern of ideology displacing legal reasoning; neutral score applied on the available record.
5Intellectual Honesty & Precedent
72%★ earned
“…to stand by things decided.” (stare decisis) — the common-law maxim
No documented issues with precedent-handling or candor; limited citable conduct record supports a neutral score.
6Independence from Party
70%★ earned
“The complete independence of the courts of justice is peculiarly essential.” — Hamilton, Federalist No. 78
No documented partisan deference; party-blind default applied; limited public record.
7Personal Integrity
75%★ earned
“The time is always right to do what is right.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
No documented corruption, criminal matters, or credible scandals; personal integrity record clean on available information.
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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 →