IN SEARCH OF QUALIFIED JUDGES - AN INQUIRY INTO THE RELEVANCE OF JUDICIAL SELECTION RESEARCH

• NCJ Number: 35123
• Author(s): C R DUCAT; V E FLANGO
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 60 pages
• Corporate Author: Northern Illinois University
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Best Practice/State-of-the-Art Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PAPER PRESENTED AT 1975 ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN POLITICAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION, SAN FRANCISCO, CA, SEPT 2-5, 1975.

Annotation

THIS LITERATURE REVIEW ASSESSES THE TYPES OF RESEARCH CONDUCTED ON JUDICIAL SELECTION AND EVALUATES WHAT RESEARCHERS HAVE ESTABLISHED AS THE IMPACT OF THE VARIOUS MODES OF JUDICIAL SELECTION ON THE JUDICIAL PROCESS.

Abstract

RESEARCH ON THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF JUDICIAL SELECTION IS FIRST REVIEWED. STUDIES DEALING WITH THE EFFECTS OF SELECTION SYSTEMS ARE THEN EXAMINED. THE IMPACT ON SUCH FACTORS AS THE CHARACTERISTICS OF JUDGES SELECTED, JUDICIAL VOTING BEHAVIOR, AND DISSENT RATES OF COURTS IS CONSIDERED. THE AUTHORS CONCLUDE, BASED ON THIS REVIEW, THAT DIFFERENT METHODS OF SELECTION DO NOT SEEM TO PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN THE CHARACTERISTICS OF JUDGES SELECTED OR THE COURTS. EVEN IF DIFFERENCES WERE FOUND, THE RESEARCH INDICATED THAT THESE DIFFERENCES WOULD HAVE LITTLE EFFECT ON ATTITUDES OR DECISION-MAKING BEHAVIOR. THEY ALSO CONCLUDE THAT FUTURE STUDIES OF JUDICIAL SELECTION SHOULD INVESTIGATE SELECTION AS ONE OF A NUMBER OF DEPENDENT VARIABLES ACTED ON BY POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL FACTORS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)