Date of Award
4-2013
Document Type
Thesis
Department
Political Science
First Advisor
Patrick Donnay
Abstract
Across the United States, each state practices one of several methods of selecting judges to their courts. Many of these processes have not changed for decades and some argue this results in minorities, both gender and racial, receiving fewer spots on the bench. I focus explicitly on the gender aspect of judicial selection: Why are there fewer women judges in some states than in others? Previous literature on this topic is mixed. I analyzed data gathered from the American Judicature Society and other sources. Among the five methods (appointment, combination, merit selection, non-partisan election, partisan election), because of the many challenges elections pose to female candidates I hypothesize that the non-electoral methods will result in a greater share of women selected to the bench. Preliminary results do not confirm the hypothesis. Women seem to fair as well in election states as they do in appointment states.
Recommended Citation
Horien, Cheyenne L., "Women Ruling the Bench: Steps to Achieving Gender Parity on State Courts" (2013). Political Science Theses and Capstones. 90.
https://pines.bemidjistate.edu/capstone-polisci/90
Included in
American Politics Commons, Courts Commons, Gender and Sexuality Commons, Inequality and Stratification Commons, Judges Commons, Law and Gender Commons, Legal Profession Commons, Legal Studies Commons, Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons, State and Local Government Law Commons
