Imagine that a recent poll found that $70\%$ of the public are more distrustful of their judges than they have been in the past. What recent trend might account, at least partially, for this finding?

States are increasingly moving to merit$-$based selection rather than political judicial selection methods.

Special interest groups have dramatically increased their funding of judicial elections, often while pressuring candidates to openly share their political views.

Judges are increasingly recusing themselves from cases where they have personal, political, or financial connections to the parties involved in the case.

Several states have passed laws eliminating political fundraising by judicial candidates.