President Clinton is about to select his first nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court. In the next few months, Governor Schaefer will get an opportunity to fill key vacancies in Maryland 's two highest courts. It 's a good time to rethink the criteria for selecting judges.

The traditional vision of the ideal judge, long embraced by both the legal establishment and the public, is one who is ' 'detached ' ' and ' 'impartial. ' ' The model jurist renders decisions without regard to personal values, beliefs or experiences. For many, the most important test of judicial nominees from Robert Bork to John Arnick is whether, given prior statements and acts, the nominee can be ' 'impartial. ' ' The assumption is that only impartial judges can be fair.