Judicial Behavior and Policymaking: An Introduction

Judicial Behavior and Policymaking introduces students to the politics of judging, exploring why judges make the decisions they do, who has the power to influence judicial decision-making, and what the consequences of court decisions are for policymaking. Further, this text familiarizes students with the methods that professional political scientists use to conduct research about the courts, including the quantitative analysis of data. Designed for undergraduates and graduate students alike, this accessible and engaging text provides a thorough introduction to the world of judicial politics.

About the Author :
Robert J. Hume is Professor of Political Science at Fordham University.

Review :
Judicial Behavior and Policymaking is a concise introduction to the politics of judging. With a unique focus on judicial behavior as research, the text clearly presents the arguments and theories concerning judicial decision-making, selection methods, and the place of judges in American society. With emphasis given to both federal and state courts and the clarity of it presentation, Judicial Behavior is an appropriate supplementary text for any undergraduate course on judicial behavior, law and society, or constitutional law.--Andrew H. Sidman, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY This text provides a nice overview of theories and findings in the judicial politics literature yet remains accessible to undergraduate students--a great option for courses focused on judicial politics.--Richard Vining, University of Georgia Hume presents a social-scientific take on the politics of judging. This brief volume focuses on empirical versus normative questions that are key to fostering an analytical approach to what we know about courts and judging. . . The supplementary primary source excerpts are the standard fare for judicial process textbooks. . . they provide solid applications of the concepts introduced in the text. The structure of the book is organized by social science theories, which provides an interesting frame for presenting concepts organically, on an as-needed basis. This makes the flow of the book superior to that of many similar texts. Although the book covers many of the basics, it occasionally assumes some prior knowledge. It draws more heavily from the perspective of political science than many similar texts, which makes it an important supplement to a more traditional text in courses on judging, judicial process, or law and society. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals. -- "Choice Reviews"