Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Publication
- Publication Type
Articles 1 - 2 of 2
Full-Text Articles in Judges
Judicial Creativity And Constraint Of Legal Rules: Dueling Cannons Of International Law, Vitalius Tumonis
Judicial Creativity And Constraint Of Legal Rules: Dueling Cannons Of International Law, Vitalius Tumonis
University of Miami International and Comparative Law Review
According to the traditional theory of judicial decision-making, legal rules constrain judicial creativity because they entail an objectively correct legal answer. Therefore, even if judges want to engage in judicial legislation they are nonetheless constrained by legal rules. This article argues that this understanding is flawed. First, the selection effect ensures that most cases that reach international courts revolve around uncertain legal rules. Second, various cannons of construction will usually allow judges to ascertain several equally plausible legal rules; judges are likely to select those rules which favor their preferred outcome of the case; and their preferred outcome will be …
Sex On The Bench: Do Women Judges Matter To The Legitimacy Of International Courts?, Nienke Grossman
Sex On The Bench: Do Women Judges Matter To The Legitimacy Of International Courts?, Nienke Grossman
All Faculty Scholarship
This article seeks to advance our understanding of international courts' legitimacy and its relationship to who sits on the bench. It asks whether we should care that few women sit on international court benches. After providing statistics on women's participation on eleven of the world's most important courts and tribunals, the article argues that under-representation of one sex affects normative legitimacy because it endangers impartiality and introduces bias when men and women approach judging differently. Even if men and women do not think differently, a sex un-representative bench harms sociological legitimacy for constituencies who believe they do nonetheless. For groups …