Law Clerking With a State Supreme Court - Views From the Perspective of the Personal Assistants to the Judges

• NCJ Number: 81479
• Journal: Justice System Journal Volume: 6 Issue: 3 Dated: (Fall 1981) Pages: 346-371
• Author(s): C H Sheldon
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 26 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: National Endowment for the Humanities
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study of a typical state court of last resort (Supreme Court of the State of Washington) relies upon questionnaire responses from 166 former law clerks who served with the court since 1937.

Abstract

Recruitment, tasks, roles, advantages, disadvantages, and contributions are all investigated. Law clerking involves less of an idiosyncratic relationship between justice and clerk and more of a common experience for most of the clerks. The contribution of clerking to the judges is unique, however. Despite the importance of clerks, it is not inevitable that they be part of the 'hidden judiciary.' (Author abstract)