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POLS 4740
Wanless final
53
Political Studies
Undergraduate 3
04/29/2012

Additional Political Studies Flashcards

 


 

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Term
Judicial Socialization
Definition
the process which judges are formally trained to perform the specific tasks of being a judge
Term
Four factors of Judicial Socialization
Definition
1. Socialization
2. Anticipatory Socialization
3. Freshman Socialization
4. Occupational Socialization
Term
Socialization
Definition
How they learn about American politics. Determines liberal/conservative sides. Constitution importance, values we have.
Term
Anticipatory Socialization
Definition
preparations before judgeship 2 parts- 1.Law School- acquire analytical and communication skills 2. experience in practicing law- how the legal system works
Term
Freshman socialization
Definition
short term "first term" learning curve of judgeship, become well versed on all aspets of law, able to manage court room, etc. Supreme court is hardest, making precendent instead of following it
Term
Occupation socialization
Definition
on the job training over a period of years, thru year 5, norms and practices are learned.
Term
Discretionary Docket
Definition
Best way to make up own agenda. They can choose cases, but must wait until the case is brought to you. more discretion than ever. they specifically look for cases that will raise the issue of constitutional law
Term
Cycle of What to Decide
Definition
Start with status quo issue , then take landmark case which opens the window for a lot more cases of this nature and take a decade or two of hammering out the spill over.
Term
Cert Pool
Definition
divide up all cases among clerks and their opinion is used to determine the justices decisions
Term
Chief Justice role in Cert
Definition
acts as ring leader, creates the discussion list
Term
Discussion List
Definition
anyone can add, but not all delete. has to be potential for conflict
Term
dead list
Definition
cases that are clearly not important and the idea of granting cert is not entertained
Term
External Influences in decided cases
Definition
and sort of political institution which gives credence and legitimacy to a policy issue, by adressing it during whatever formal preceding it has (president, congress, media, public)
Term
Internal Influences in deicing cases
Definition
deals with members of the court, or organizational dynamics.
Term
Why allocate more time to certain issues?
Definition
The agenda of the court responds to issue priorities of other branches of govt
Term
Procedural considerations when deciding to grant cert
Definition
justiciability, must have live controversy
Term
Legal Considerations Rule 10
Definition
governing principle of the court that believes that justices will prefer to accept cases where there has been a different decision b/w fed courts, federal and state courts, or when the decision goes against the SC own prefernece.
Term
Political considerations
Definition
solicitor general, presence of an amicus brief, judicial ideology
Term
Factors that influence decision making
Definition
1. personal values- political party, morals, internal ideas,
2. philosophy to law- loose v strict constitutionalist
3. perception of judicial role- should i be an activist judge?
4.external influences- results the decision of judges media, congress, etc.
Term
Three ways to look at decision making?
Definition
1. type of court
2. multiple times to make decision
3. Involved parties
Term
Type of court influence
Definition
criminal v collegial courts (collegial have to account for group relationships)lower courts are influenced by supreme court decisions
Term
small group analysis
Definition
judges want to influence their colleagues and be on the winning side as much as possible, susceptibility to change is determined by personality and
Term
Three major strategies to maximize impact on multi-judge court
Definition
1. Persuasion on the merits- provide concrete legal evidence to sway judge
2. Bargaining- more subtle than congressional bargaining, more about legal argument used
3. sanctions- judges votes (threaten to switch sides if your legal argument isnt used) strong dissent threat or going public (appeal to public to persuade your view)
Term
Three problems with case studies
Definition
1. human nature is complex; we can study a case for a while a never conclude anything
2. it's easy to omit certain things because you are focusing on one certain mindset
3. at the end of the day, you are only studying one thing-generalized ability
Term
two goals of modeling
Definition
1. explains behavior in question
2. Parsimonious explanation
Term
models must be__________
Definition
falsifiable- we have to have clear standards for what constitutes judicial behavior being modeled.
Term
Replacement effect
Definition
any change of the courts policies is a result of a majority of a change, and individual preferences are not responsible for change
Term
Conversion effect
Definition
judicial preferences are actually changing
1. individual position change- judge changes their mind
2. issue itself evolves-
Term
Ulmer's four reasons for change in vote
Definition
1.they wouk w/ in a small group so they are easily influenced (don;t want to pick a fight, can see other side)
2.whole post of issues surrounding civil liberties, so faulty measure
3. service on the court is a learning process, become more firm in beliefs over time
4. justices influenced by public opinion
Term
why do judges tend to become more extreme over time?
Definition
some people are influenced by their past others are not. 1. court environment- other justices, congress, pres 2. it is contexual, little bit of both
Term
Freshman Effect
Definition
Justices don;t want to stand out in the beginning until they really know what they are doing. Newcomers are more moderate. They are more likely to change their vote, less likely to write an opinion
Term
Attitudinal Model Mantra
Definition
Court decides disputes in light of the case facts vis-a-vis the ideological attitudes and values of justices
Term
Basis for Attitudinal Model (4)
Definition
1. Legal Realism
2. Behavioralism
3. Economics
4. Psychology
Term
Legal Realism
Definition
1920s Llewlllyn and Franks. Spawned from conservative legal model. Judges are law makers not finders. Laws are flux and constantly moving. Because laws are ever changing, they must interpret.
Term
Behavioralist
Definition
first political science movement that was the first to view it Poli sci is predictable science, must use quantifiable data, observable data, research is driven by theory
Term
Economics
Definition
judges endgae in attitudinal behavior, they will decide on outcome that yields them the highest outcome (goals, rules situations)
Term
Economics: Goals
Definition
Primary goal is policy oriented
Term
Economics: Rules
Definition
structure/norms about being a judge that would influence policy making.
1.lack political accountability
2. no ambition for higher office
3. control own docket
4. top of judicial heirarchy
Term
Economics: situations
Definition
the attitudinal model is strongest (applicable) only on the final vote
Term
Psychological Influence
Definition
1960's-Shubert. attitudes are enduring sets of beliefs about an object or situation. there is a spectrum.
Term
Attitude object
Definition
direct or indirect parties
Term
Attitude Situations
Definition
dominant legal facts to the case
Term
Strategic Model Mantra
Definition
Judges decide cases in light of case facts vis a vis their preference and the preferences of other actors involved. arose from problem of only using attitudes.
Term
Policy maximizers
Definition
judges will get outcome close to their preferences instead of exact to avoid congressional override. roots in rational choice.
Term
Strategic roots in rational choice
Definition
applies economic concept to judgeship. Actors can order all possible outcomes from most to least favorable. actors choose from available alternatives to maximize personal prefernces, ending in an equilibrium- personal pref combined with others to create stable outcome.
Term
five decisions prior to final vote
Definition
1. Cert
2.Conference
3. Opinion Assignment
4. Framing Opinion
5. Decision to dissent or concur
Term
Legal Model Mantra
Definition
the decision of courts are decided in by the case facts in light of the law
Term
Legitimacy issues in Legal Model
Definition
Constitutional and Congressional Statues are from personal preferences, so there is no legitimacy because they are striking down laws voted on by elected officials.
Term
Three Factors of Legal Model
Definition
1. Plain Meaning
2. Framer's Intent
3. Precedent
Term
Room for Influence in Legal Model
Definition
there is so much precedent that has been established, that judges can pick and choose which precedent they prefer. use briefs from groups they support.
Term
Four informal factors of being selected as a judge
Definition
1. high level of competency
2. same ideological preferences as pres
3. willingness to be a judge
4. luck
Term
Senatorial Courtesy
Definition
unwritten political custom in the United States whereby the president consults the senior U.S. Senator of his political party of a given state before nominating any person to a federal vacancy within that Senator's state.
Term
Recess Appointments
Definition
is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess. two reasons 1.vacancies are problematic if court has backlog 2. political- pres can choose on his own
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