Below are a selection of the comments we have received from our readers which we believe are particularly pertinent and relevant to our core question; "Should Chief Justice Rose Bird be Reconfirmed (in the Upcoming November 4, 1986 California Election)?"

This selection of comments, pro, con and neutral, are in the approximate ratio received (for example, if 50% of the responses received are "pro," then about 50% of the responses posted below should be "pro").

The comments are in reverse chronological order -- most recent first. We sometimes edit comments for content and brevity. We also may remove comments posted when we find better comments covering the same issues. To preserve confidentiality, only the writer's first name is noted, unless they had waived confidentiality. Respondents are generally notified when we add their response to this section.

• PRO 5/4/04 - "I frivolously filed a lawsuit against the State Bar of California and the Supreme Court Justices who were up for recall in the 1986 election, including the late Rose Bird. I have tried to locate her to apologize and just learned that she is now deceased.

  Please accept my posthumous apologies. Thanks, and again, please accept my sincere apologies on Ms. Bird's behalf. Her reputation has been unfairly maligned long enough."
  Roger Jewell, J.D. 5/4/04