Instead of mobilizing the search immediately, the board spent two months naming a screening panel.

In District 12, at least one principal was appointed three weeks after the screening panel was formed.

The screening panels must be made up of 6 to 10 parents, 2 teachers and a supervisor.

The screening panels have limited the role of politics in judicial elections.

Mr. Batra resigned from the judicial screening panel earlier this year.

In prior years, the party refused to tell those who went before the screening panel whether they had been approved.

The parents on the screening panels, he said, are doing the best they can to insure the quality of the candidates.

The screening panel is not allowed to say why it rejected Justice Marrero.

Mr. Abraham said that as president, that person would soon be able to select members of the screening panel.

Much of the answer depends on the screening panels.