This page features a curated selection of scholarly works from around the world that examine the role of judges in democratic decline and resistance to authoritarianism. The bibliography includes books, articles, and working papers from a range of disciplines — including law, political science, and sociology — that explore how legal professionals respond to democratic erosion, repression, and state capture.
Judges as targets of democratic decline
Castagnola (2017). Manipulating courts in new democracies: forcing judges off the bench in Argentina.
Castagnola, A. (2017). Manipulating courts in new democracies: forcing judges off the bench in Argentina. Routledge. When can the Executive manipulate the composition of a Court? What political factors explain judicial instability on the bench? Using …
December 27, 2025Bakiner (2016). “Judges Discover Politics: Sources of Judges’ Off-Bench Mobilization in Turkey”.
Bakiner, O. (2016). Judges Discover Politics: Sources of Judges’ Off-Bench Mobilization in Turkey. Journal of Law and Courts, 4(1), 131-157. When do judges initiate public action outside the courtroom? What kinds of political activities do they engage …
December 27, 2025Kosař & Šipulová (2017), “The Strasbourg Court Meets Abusive Constitutionalism: Baka v. Hungary and the Rule of Law”
Kosař, David & Šipulová, Katarína. The Strasbourg Court Meets Abusive Constitutionalism: Baka v. Hungary and the Rule of Law. Hague Journal on the Rule of Law, 10, 83–110 (2018). Published online November 2, 2017. DOI: …
November 29, 2025Gárdos-Orosz & Szente (2021), Populist Challenges to Constitutional Interpretation in Europe and Beyond
Gárdos-Orosz, Fruzsina & Szente, Zoltán (eds.). Populist Challenges to Constitutional Interpretation in Europe and Beyond. Routledge, Taylor & Francis, 2021. DOI: 10.4324/9781003148944. Available at: https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/49404 This edited volume examines how populist governments and movements …
November 29, 2025Kapiszewski (2011), “Tactical Balancing: High Court Decision Making on Politically Crucial Cases”
Kapiszewski, Diana. Tactical Balancing: High Court Decision Making on Politically Crucial Cases (2011). Law & Society Review, 45(2), 471–506. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5893.2011.00437.x High court decision making in politically sensitive cases cannot be fully understood through ideological or …
November 29, 2025- More Posts
Evidence of Judges Resisting Democratic Decline
Kureshi(2022). “Seeking supremacy: The pursuit of judicial power in Pakistan”
Kureshi, Y. (2022). Seeking supremacy: The pursuit of judicial power in Pakistan. Cambridge University Press. The emergence of the judiciary as an assertive and confrontational center of power has been the most consequential new feature of …
January 8, 2026Piana (2010), “Judicial Accountabilities in New Europe: From Rule of Law to Quality of Justice.”
Daniela Piana, Judicial Accountabilities in New Europe: From Rule of Law to Quality of Justice (1st ed.). London: Routledge, 2010. Summary: This volume focuses on a highly challenging aspect of all European democracies, namely the issue …
August 31, 2025Gerzso (2023), “Judicial resistance during electoral disputes: Evidence from Kenya.”
Thalia Gerzso,”Judicial resistance during electoral disputes: Evidence from Kenya.” Electoral Studies, vol.85 (2023), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2023.102653. Summary: Over the last decade, African courts have played an important role in the conduct of free and fair elections. In Kenya, …
August 31, 2025Puleo, Coman (2023), “Explaining Judges’ Opposition When Judicial Independence Is Undermined: Insights from Poland, Romania, and Hungary.”
Leonardo Puleo, Ramona Coman, “Explaining Judges’ Opposition When Judicial Independence Is Undermined: Insights from Poland, Romania, and Hungary.” Democratization, vol. 31, no. 1 (2023): 47–69. Summary: Over the past decade, governing parties in Central and …
August 31, 2025Gamboa, García-Holgado, González-Ocantos (2024), “Courts against Backsliding: Lessons from Latin America.”
Laura Gamboa, Benjamín García-Holgado, Ezequiel González-Ocantos, “Courts against Backsliding: Lessons from Latin America.” Law & Policy, vol. 46, no. 4 (2024): 358–379. Summary: The recent wave of autocratization in Latin America has put courts at the …
August 31, 2025- More Posts
Evidence of Judges Aiding Democratic Decline
Judicial misconduct complaint filed by Justice Dept. against Judge James Boasberg is dismissed
A federal appeals court judge, Jeffrey Sutton, dismissed a judicial misconduct complaint the United States Department of Justice filed against James Boasberg, ruling that the department failed to provide sufficient evidence to substantiate allegations that …
February 2, 2026A California lawyer takes the civil rights fight home to Minneapolis
In this column, Anita Chabria profiles James Cook, an Oakland civil rights lawyer who has been spending months in Minneapolis helping people swept up in a federal crackdown—protesters, immigrants, and even U.S. citizens—often pro bono. …
February 1, 2026Venezuela announces amnesty bill that could lead to mass release of political prisoners
Venezuela’s acting president Delcy Rodríguez announced an “amnesty” bill that, if approved by the ruling party–controlled National Assembly of Venezuela, could lead to the release of hundreds of people detained for political reasons, including opposition …
January 30, 2026Judge in Minnesota tries to keep Trump administration in check during crackdown
A federal judge in Minneapolis sharply criticized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for repeatedly failing to follow court orders in lawsuits filed by people arrested during the Donald Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Chief U.S. District …
January 29, 2026Supreme Court rules Polish government unlawfully removed judicial officials
Poland’s Supreme Court has ruled that the justice minister, Waldemar Żurek, and his predecessor, Adam Bodnar, acted unlawfully when they removed three judicial disciplinary officials—Piotr Schab, Przemysław Radzik, and Michał Lasota—before their fixed terms expired. …
January 27, 2026- More Posts