Kevin Lyles

The Gatekeepers (eBook, PDF)

Federal District Courts in the Political Process

• Format: PDF

Produktbeschreibung

There are more than 600 Federal district judges serving today, and they decide some 230,000 civil cases each year. About 90% of the decisions they reach are final. Lyles argues that these lower court judges not only influence the flow of information to the judicial hierarchy, but they formulate questions that influence how higher courts, including the Supreme Court, respond. As such they are key elements in the formulation and implementation of public policy. To cite a few examples, they desegregate school districts, run mental institutions and prisons, break up monopolies, and reapportion legislatures.

Lyles begins by examining the structure and function of federal courts and detailing the history, operation, and purpose of the district courts. He then turns to the selection, nomination, and appointment of district judges. Lyles then analyzes the extent to which presidents might advance policy objectives through their judicial appointments to the district courts. After examining how African-American, Latino, and white judges, male and female, view their roles as policy actors, Lyles concludes with a discussion of the implications of the study. Important for students and scholars of contemporary public policy and the court system.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Bloomsbury Publishing Inc
• Seitenzahl: 328
• Altersempfehlung: ab 7 Jahre
• Erscheinungstermin: 28. Oktober 1997
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9780313025372
• Artikelnr.: 37815613

Autorenporträt

KEVIN L. LYLES is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Inhaltsangabe

Preface Introduction: Federal District Courts in the Political Process The
Federal District Courts: Institutional and Functional Perspectives The
Nomination and Appointment of Federal District Court Judges Presidential
Agendas and Judicial Appointments: From Kennedy Democrats to Nixon
Republicans, 1960-1976 Presidential Agendas and Judicial Appointments: From
Carter Democrats to Reagan Republicans, 1976-1988 Presidential Agendas and
Judicial Appointments: From Bush Republicans to Clinton Democrats,
1988-1996 Presidential Expectation and Judicial Performance Does Race Make
a Difference?: Perceptions and Attitudes of African-American, Latino, and
White District Court Judges Does Gender Make a Difference?: Perceptions and
Attitudes of Female District Court Judges The Gatekeepers: Conclusions
Appendix A: The National District Court Judge Survey (NDJS) Appendix B: The
Significant District Court Case Data (SDCC) Selected Bibliography Table of
Selected Cases Index