Matthew Baker -

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Political Science & International Affairs

Matt is a PhD candidate at the University of Georgia studying political science with a focus on judicial politics, specifically trial courts. He is a licensed attorney in Florida and previously served as an adjunct professor at the University of Central Florida.

Education

University of Central Florida, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Minor in History, magna cum laude May 2009

University of Florida, Levin College of Law, Juris Doctor, cum laude May 2013

More About

My research agenda is centered on the judicial branch and empirical legal studies, with an emphasis on judicial decision-making, judicial hierarchy, criminal trial courts, lawyers, law and society, and gender and racial diversity issues in the law. My research agenda is motivated and informed in large part by my experience in the legal field as a public defender. The insights from 25 jury trials and countless other court proceedings allow me to identify and frame research questions based on practice, while using social scientific methods to test long-held assumptions about judicial and litigant behavior. In addition to research, I enjoy teaching. Fostering student learning has driven my professional interests since I began coaching undergraduate mock trial over six years ago. Teaching students motivated me to return to graduate school after six years practicing law, hoping that earning my Ph.D. would allow me to teach American politics courses full time at the college level, all while pursuing a concurrent research agenda enhancing and supplementing my teaching efforts.

Of Note

Law and Science Dissertation Grant (Funded by the National Science Foundation Funding SBE #2016661): “Doctoral Research: Framing the Law: Judges and Jury Instructions” Matthew Baker (PI) and Christina L. Boyd (Co-PI). 2022. $16,654

“Release Roulette: The Rural-Urban Pretrial Detention Divide in Florida” University of Florida Journal of Law and Public Policy, 32(1): 1-48 (Fall 2021).

“The Effects of Judge Race and Sex on Pretrial Detention Decisions” with Ethan D. Boldt, Christina L. Boyd and Roberto F. Carlos, Justice System Journal 42(3-4): 341-358. (2021).

“Book Review: The Judicial Tug of War by Adam Bonica and Maya Sen” with Christina L. Boyd, Law and Politics Book Review Vol. 31(6) (2021).

Affiliations

American Political Science Association

Southern Political Science Association

Midwest Political Science Association

The Florida Bar

Florida Supreme Court Certified County Court Mediator (inactive)

Course Instruction

Intro to American Government; Individual Liberties and the Law; Criminal Law; Law and Society; Law and the Legal System; Legal Research; Legal Writing; Professionalism and Civility in the Law

Research Interests

Judicial behavior at the trial court level as well as judicial institutions, constitutional law and judicial nominations.

Selected Publications

“Release Roulette: The Rural-Urban Pretrial Detention Divide in Florida” University of Florida Journal of Law and Public Policy, 32(1): 1-48 (Fall 2021).

“The Effects of Judge Race and Sex on Pretrial Detention Decisions” with Ethan D. Boldt, Christina L. Boyd and Roberto F. Carlos, Justice System Journal 42(3-4): 341-358. (2021).

“Book Review: The Judicial Tug of War by Adam Bonica and Maya Sen” with Christina L. Boyd, Law and Politics Book Review Vol. 31(6) (2021).