Judges and Their Audiences: A Perspective on Judicial Behavior

"An original contribution to the study of judicial politics that draws from the field of social psychology to suggest a radically new approach to the study of decisional behavior."—Sheldon Goldman, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

"This book makes a very strong case that we need to begin to look at judicial behavior in a way that is not reflected in any of the most significant recent work. It will change the way many scholars think about the courts."—Donald Songer, University of South Carolina

Stefanie A. Lindquist - Law and Politics Book Review

Judges and Their Audiences constitutes an impressive scholarly achievement in its expansive analysis of the existing literature. . . . Lawrence Baum argues that judges, like most human beings, are often sensitive to and seek the approbation of others within their social and professional milieu. . . . One theme runs throughout the empirical chapters: the vitality of a given precedent has an important effect on the manner in which later courts use that precedent to justify legal outcomes.

Lawrence Baum is professor of political science at Ohio State University. He is a student of judicial politics, with a primary interest in explanation of judicial behavior. His previous books include include "American Courts", "The Supreme Court", and "The Puzzle of Judicial Behavior".