Judge Networks

Abstract

Judge networks—the interlocking, relatively stable relationships that a judge maintains with peers and other political and social actors on and off the bench—are widely suspected of exerting influence on judicial behaviour. Nevertheless, few scholars have studied whether and how that may happen in theory or practice. This chapter engages with the comparative judicial politics literature to show how judge networks can be understood from a relational perspective. Based on the findings, a basic heuristic framework—settings, motivations, and mechanisms—is proposed to improve understanding of how judge networks influence judicial decision-making. The discussion covers both the potential and the limitations of a judge-centred relational perspective on the study of judicial decision-making in the Global South and beyond.