“…In most instances, a particular interest group or classification of interest group (for instance, organizations of municipal and state managers or district attorneys' associations) files amici curiae exclusively in support of either government positions or other party positions. Scholars who conduct empirical research in this area most typically study legislative processes (see Roby, 1969;Stolz, 1984Stolz, , 1985Stolz, , 1999Stolz, , 2005 at the exclusion of appellate court processes (one notable exception is the work of Ivers & O'Connor, 1987). 1 Empirical examinations of interest group effects on criminal justice policy outcomes are exceedingly rare (Stolz, 2002).…”