Contemporary debates about democracy have increasingly focused on the role of courts, prompting renewed questions about the function of judicial review in modern democratic systems. Judicial review—the power of courts to strike down laws
Dec 2025
Peeking Behind the Curtain: The Federal Bureaucracy, Transparency, and Judicial Oversight
From refusing to voluntarily release White House visitor logs (Kennedy 2017) to alleged overuse of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) document redactions process (Evers 2020), the first Trump Administration
Dec 2025
An ecclesiastical court: Christian nationalism and perceptions of the US Supreme Court
Recently, scholars have increasingly examined the unique blending of Christian and political ideology known as Christian nationalism. During this period, the US Supreme Court has increasingly ruled in ways that
Nov 2025
Research shows that women’s inclusion in decision-making bodies that produce anti-feminist policies can legitimize policies and institutions. When a woman attorney advocates for an anti-feminist outcome in the judiciary, are
May 2025
Quick to Judge? Confirmation by Cloture in the Post-Nuclear Senate
The 2013 Senate rules change transformed the judicial confirmation process by lowering the effective vote threshold for success. Presidents with supportive Senate majorities may now bypass filibusters and confirm nominees
Mar 2025
Making Their Mark: Women Judges on the U.S. Courts of Appeals
Women who reach the bench in the U.S. Courts of Appeals have endured the gauntlet of law school, legal practice, and Senate confirmation to secure their prestigious place in the
Nov 2024
Government transparency and judicial deference
Transparency is often lauded as a cornerstone of democratic governance. The ability of the public to request and gain access to internal government records promotes an informed public, can expose
Oct 2024
In July 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on two cases: Students for Fair Admissions vs. the University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows
Oct 2024
Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Judicial Nominations
Having federal courts that reflect the population demographically is a critical factor for their democratic legitimacy. Recruiting diverse nominees, however, is costly as it requires actively building new networks to
Sep 2024
Gender and racial influences on judicial decision making
As judiciaries in the US and elsewhere become more diverse, scholars have explored more fully the role of judge race and gender in decision making. This essay provides a summary
