One of the hallmarks of a good chief executive is the quality of his appointments to the bench. Gov. John McKernan has performed this aspect of his job with attentiveness to the needs of the public and with a genuine interest in finding the best people to serve Maine’s court system.

Leigh I. Saufley, with a strong endorsement from Attorney General James Tierney, won the unanimous support of the Judiciary Committee last week. When she assumes her duties as a District Court judge at-large, the former deputy attorney general will become just the seventh woman on the Maine bench.

Saufley will join in the judicial ranks Justice Margaret Kravchuk, another woman who served the district bench with distinction, and who was elevated by Gov. McKernan to the Superior Court. As a District Court judge, Kravchuk handled a variety of demanding judicial duties with sensitivity, skill and competence.

The governor’s latest appointment, that of Bangor attorney Andrew Mead to succeed Kravchuck, only confirms the care with which the governor is approaching each selection. Mead, respected in his community and by his profession, has for 10 years served successfully as a judge of the Penobscot Tribal Court. He is a solid choice.

Too many chief executives exploit the judicial appointment process to pay off political debts. Some try to load the scales of justice, hoping they’ll tilt, left, or right.

Gov. McKernan has avoided partisanship, cronyism and ideology in making his choices. His objective is simply to find people of good character and balanced temperament who can properly serve the public in a very demanding job.