When you cannot ask the judge: Using the case to explore judicial culture

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35295/osls.iisl.1745

Keywords:

Judicial culture, decided cases, data, artefacts, cultura judicial, casos resueltos, datos, artefactos

Abstract

Much of our understanding of the judicial role and culture is grounded in data gathered through interviews, surveys, and observations of judges.  However, in the UK access to the judiciary and the nature and form of questions you can ask of them is strictly controlled.  This paper argues that the case is an important artefact of judicial culture. The analysis of judicial decisions provides an insight into the factors that shape the decision-making culture and the influence of culture on individual decision makers. The analysis of cases raises important questions about the decision-making culture in the highest court.   

Gran parte de nuestra comprensión de la función y la cultura judiciales se basa en datos recogidos en entrevistas, encuestas y observaciones de los jueces. Sin embargo, en el Reino Unido, el acceso a la judicatura y la naturaleza y forma de las preguntas que se les pueden formular están estrictamente controlados. Este artículo sostiene que los casos son artefactos importantes de la cultura judicial. El análisis de las decisiones judiciales, enfocado a través de la lente de la disidencia, proporciona una visión de los factores que conforman la cultura de la toma de decisiones y la influencia de la cultura en los responsables individuales de la toma de decisiones. El análisis de los casos, enriquecido con datos procedentes de los discursos judiciales, plantea importantes cuestiones sobre la cultura decisoria en el más alto tribunal.

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Author Biography

Rachel Cahill-O'Callaghan, Cardiff University

Rachel Cahill-O’Callaghan, Cardiff School of Law and Politics, Cardiff University. Email: Cahill-OCallaghanR@cardiff.ac.uk

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Published

13-11-2023 — Updated on 20-12-2023

How to Cite

Cahill-O’Callaghan, R. (2023) “When you cannot ask the judge: Using the case to explore judicial culture”, Oñati Socio-Legal Series, 13(S1), pp. S121-S144. doi: 10.35295/osls.iisl.1745.