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Full-Text Articles in Judges

Filling The D.C. Circuit Vacancies, Carl W. Tobias Dec 2015

Filling The D.C. Circuit Vacancies, Carl W. Tobias

Indiana Law Journal

Partisanship undermines judicial nominations to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. With three of eleven judgeships vacant during Barack Obama’s first term, he was the only President in a half century not to appoint a jurist to the nation’s second-most important court. Confirming accomplished nominees, thus, became imperative for the circuit’s prompt, economical, and fair case disposition. In 2013, Obama submitted excellent candidates. Patricia Millett had argued thirty-two Supreme Court appeals; Cornelia Pillard successfully litigated numerous path-breaking matters; and Robert Wilkins had served on the D.C. District bench for three years. The purportedly shrinking tribunal …


Can Judges Make Reliable Numeric Judgments? Distorted Damages And Skewed Sentences, Jeffrey J. Rachlinski, Andrew J. Wistrich, Chris Guthrie Apr 2015

Can Judges Make Reliable Numeric Judgments? Distorted Damages And Skewed Sentences, Jeffrey J. Rachlinski, Andrew J. Wistrich, Chris Guthrie

Indiana Law Journal

In a series of studies involving over six hundred trial judges in three countries, we demonstrate that trial judges’ civil damage awards and criminal sentences are subject to influences that make them erratic. We found that the presence of misleading numeric reference points (or “anchors”) affected judges’ decisions in a series of hypothetical cases. Specifically, judges imposed shorter sentences when assigning sentences in months rather than in years; awarded higher amounts of compensatory damages when informed of a cap on damage awards; imposed different sentences depending upon the sequence in which criminal cases were presented to them; and were influenced …


Judicial Selection In Congress’ Lame Duck Session, Carl W. Tobias Jan 2015

Judicial Selection In Congress’ Lame Duck Session, Carl W. Tobias

Indiana Law Journal

This Article first scrutinizes the Obama Administration confirmation and nomination processes. It then critically explores selection and concludes that Republican obstruction instigated the most open positions the longest time. Because this deficiency undermines swift, economical, and fair case resolution, the Article suggests ideas to promptly decrease the remaining unoccupied judgeships after the session commences.


The Jekyll And Hyde Of First Amendment Limits On The Regulation Of Judicial Campaign Speech, Charles G. Geyh Jan 2015

The Jekyll And Hyde Of First Amendment Limits On The Regulation Of Judicial Campaign Speech, Charles G. Geyh

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.


The Racial Evolution Of Justice Kennedy And Its Implications For Law, Theory, And The End Of The Second Reconstruction, Luis Fuentes-Rohwer Jan 2015

The Racial Evolution Of Justice Kennedy And Its Implications For Law, Theory, And The End Of The Second Reconstruction, Luis Fuentes-Rohwer

Articles by Maurer Faculty

This Article examines the recent turn in Justice Kennedy's race jurisprudence. The shift is palpable, from a narrow and uncompromising approach to the use of race by state actors to a more nuanced and contextual understanding of the role that race plays in American society. This is no small change, best explained by Justice Kennedy 's status on the Court as a "super median. " This is a position of power and influence, as any majority coalition must count on Justice Kennedy's vote; but more importantly, it is also a position of true independence. Justice Kennedy entertains his idiosyncratic and …


The State Of Recusal Reform, Charles G. Geyh, Myles Lynk, Robert S. Peck, Toni Clarke Jan 2015

The State Of Recusal Reform, Charles G. Geyh, Myles Lynk, Robert S. Peck, Toni Clarke

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.


Comment Le Droit Des Gens Cessa D’Être Un Droit Politique: Le Droit International De John Marshall, Elisabeth Zoller Jan 2015

Comment Le Droit Des Gens Cessa D’Être Un Droit Politique: Le Droit International De John Marshall, Elisabeth Zoller

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.