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Judicial Reform in the American States: The Chief Justice as Political Advocate

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2021

Teena Wilhelm ,
Richard L. Vining Jr. ,
Ethan D. Boldt  and
Bryan M. Black
Teena Wilhelm*
Affiliation:
University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
Richard L. Vining Jr.
Affiliation:
University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
Ethan D. Boldt
Affiliation:
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
Bryan M. Black
Affiliation:
Fulton County District Attorney's Office, Atlanta, GA, USA
*
Teena Wilhelm, Department of Political Science, University of Georgia, 180 Baldwin Hall, Athens, GA 30602, USA. Email: twilhelm@uga.edu
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Abstract

The state courts of last resort are vital components of American judicial system, disposing of many important legal matters. The chief justices of these courts serve consequential roles in these institutions. Although scholars have examined the selection and duties of states' chief justices, their interactions with the elected branches are understudied. We focus on how chief justices on state high courts use their roles to encourage judicial reform. Specifically, we examine the determinants of chief justices' successes or failures as advocates for their justice systems. To analyze why chief justices succeed or fail as reform advocates, we analyze the fate of reform proposals offered in state of the judiciary addresses. Our results indicate that greater ideological similarity between the state legislature and chief justice or state supreme court median increases the odds of an agenda item being enacted. We also find that the scope of a policy request influences the likelihood it will be granted.

Keywords

judicial politicschief justicestate courtsinterbranch relationsstate supreme courts
Type
Research Article
Information
State Politics & Policy Quarterly , Volume 20 , Issue 2 , June 2020 , pp. 135 - 156
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2019

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