Caufield, Rachel Paine. “What Makes Merit Selection Different?” 15 Roger Williams U. L. Rev. 765 (2010). (Lexis)

This article outlines the history of the movement toward merit selection, analyzes various studies comparing merit systems to elective systems, and concludes that merit-selected judges appear to be more independent from partisan influences, less likely to reflect popular sentiment in their decisions, more diverse, and more ethical than their elected counterparts.