Retno Dewi Pulung Sari, “Guarding the Constitution in Silence: How Judges Experience Independence Under Executive Pressure.” Hukmuna: Journal of Law and Policy, vol. 1, no. 6 (2025): 234-241
Summary: Judicial independence is a cornerstone of constitutional law, especially in transitional democracies where political pressures challenge institutional integrity. While prior research has examined legal frameworks and formal safeguards, there is limited understanding of how constitutional judges personally experience and interpret independence in the face of executive influence. This study addresses that gap by investigating how judges perceive and navigate judicial independence under political pressure. Employing an interpretative phenomenological approach, the study focuses on the lived experiences of eight constitutional judges. Its findings suggest that judicial independence is not merely a legal principle, but a personal and context-driven process shaped by emotional and ethical considerations.