Brad Epperly, “The Provision of Insurance?: Judicial Independence and the Post-Tenure Fate of Leaders.” Journal of Law and Courts, vol. 1, no. 2 (2013): 247–78. Summary: Leading explanations of judicial independence argue political competition incentivizes …
Month: August 2025
Judges: Threatened for ruling against Trump
A surge in threats against federal judges has raised alarms about the safety of the U.S. judiciary and the integrity of democratic institutions. Since Donald Trump’s presidency, intimidation of judges has escalated dramatically, with 162 …
Trump’s $940 Million Law Firm Deals Face Uncertainty
Nearly five months after nine major U.S. law firms struck deals with former President Donald Trump—pledging a collective $940 million in free legal services—the impact remains unclear. Some firms continue to take cases opposing Trump’s …
Ugandan opposition seeks to nullify law on military prosecution of civilians
Ugandan opposition seeks to nullify law on military prosecution of civilians – The National Unity Platform (NUP), Uganda’s main opposition party, filed a constitutional court case to strike down a new law allowing military tribunals …
Doug Ford’s attacks on judges are an affront to Canadian democracy
Doug Ford has increasingly made judges a political target, treating attacks on them as a routine talking point. At the recent Premiers’ conference, he called judges “weak-kneed” over bail reform, and in the past he …
Incoming ABA President Michelle Behnke to prioritize defending liberty, pursuing justice
Michelle Behnke, a Wisconsin attorney with Boardman Clark, has become the new president of the American Bar Association (ABA). In her remarks at the ABA Annual Meeting in Toronto, Behnke pledged to strengthen the rule …
Cohen (2020), “Judicial Colonialism Today: The French Overseas Courts.”
Mathilde Cohen, “Judicial Colonialism Today: The French Overseas Courts.” Journal of Law and Courts, vol. 8, no. 2 (2020): 247–76. Summary: France maintains a court system outside of the European continent in so-called overseas regions …
Palermo (2025), “Dictatorship and Judicial Complicity: The Case of Argentina.”
Omar Palermo. “Dictatorship and Judicial Complicity: The Case of Argentina.” In Transitional Justice and the Criminal Responsibility of Judges. Edited by Claudia Cárdenas Aravena, Jaime Couso Salas, Florian Jeßberger, Milan Kuhli, pp. 46-60. London: Routledge, …
Khalil (2024), ” ‘This Country has Laws’: Legalism as a Tool of Entrenching Autocracy in Egypt.”
Heba M. Khalil, “ ‘This Country has Laws’ ”: Legalism as a Tool of Entrenching Autocracy in Egypt.” American Behavioral Scientist, vol. 68, no. 12 (2024): 1597-1615. Summary: This article investigates the role of legalism and …
Staton, Reenock, Holsinger (2022), “Can Courts be Bulwarks of Democracy?: Judges and the Politics of Prudence.”
Jeffrey K. Staton, Christopher Reenock, and Jordan Holsinger, Can Courts be Bulwarks of Democracy?: Judges and the Politics of Prudence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022. Summary: Liberal concepts of democracy envision courts as key institutions for …