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- Title
The Influence of Amicus Curiae Briefs on U.S. Supreme Court Opinion Content.
- Authors
Collins, Paul M.; Corley, Pamela C.; Hamner, Jesse
- Abstract
We address fundamental questions about the ability of interest groups to shape public policy by examining the influence of amicus curiae briefs on U.S. Supreme Court majority opinion content. We argue that the justices will incorporate language from amicus briefs into their opinions based on the extent to which the amicus briefs contribute to their ability to make effective law and policy. Using plagiarism detection software and other forms of computer assisted content analysis, we find that the justices adopt language from amicus briefs based primarily on the quality of the brief's argument, the level of repetition in the brief, the ideological position advocated in the brief, and the identity of the amicus. These results add fresh insight into how interest groups influence the development of federal law by the Supreme Court.
- Subjects
AMICI curiae; LEGAL briefs; UNITED States. Supreme Court; SUPREME Court justices (U.S.); FEDERAL laws; PRESSURE groups; LEGAL reasoning
- Publication
Law & Society Review, 2015, Vol 49, Issue 4, p917
- ISSN
0023-9216
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/lasr.12166