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Friends with benefits: Case significance, amicus curiae, and agenda setting on the U.S. Supreme Court

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  • Schoenherr, Jessica A.
  • Black, Ryan C.

Abstract

The Supreme Court enjoys nearly complete discretion when it makes its initial agenda-setting decisions. In 1988, Greg Caldeira and John Wright published an important study that showed amicus curiae briefs signal the underlying significance of a case and increase the likelihood that the Supreme Court will grant review. We reassess this relationship using additional data and enhanced measures. Our results confirm the importance of case significance in the Court's agenda-setting decision making.

Suggested Citation

  • Schoenherr, Jessica A. & Black, Ryan C., 2019. "Friends with benefits: Case significance, amicus curiae, and agenda setting on the U.S. Supreme Court," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 43-53.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:irlaec:v:58:y:2019:i:c:p:43-53
    DOI: 10.1016/j.irle.2018.12.009
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Deborah Beim & Alexander V. Hirsch & Jonathan P. Kastellec, 2016. "Signaling and Counter‐Signaling in the Judicial Hierarchy: An Empirical Analysis of En Banc Review," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 60(2), pages 490-508, April.
    2. Ryan C. Black & Christina L. Boyd, 2012. "US Supreme Court Agenda Setting and the Role of Litigant Status," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 28(2), pages 286-312.
    3. Caldeira, Gregory A. & Wright, John R., 1988. "Organized Interests and Agenda Setting in the U.S. Supreme Court," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 82(4), pages 1109-1127, December.
    4. J. Scott Long & Jeremy Freese, 2006. "Regression Models for Categorical Dependent Variables using Stata, 2nd Edition," Stata Press books, StataCorp LP, edition 2, number long2, March.
    5. Cameron, Charles M. & Cover, Albert D. & Segal, Jeffrey A., 1990. "Senate Voting on Supreme Court Nominees: A Neoinstitutional Model," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 84(2), pages 525-534, June.
    6. Ryan C. Black & Christina L. Boyd, 2013. "Selecting the Select Few: The Discuss List and the U.S. Supreme Court's Agenda-Setting Process," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 94(4), pages 1124-1144, December.
    7. Caldeira, Gregory A & Wright, John R & Zorn, Christopher J W, 1999. "Sophisticated Voting and Gate-Keeping in the Supreme Court," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 15(3), pages 549-572, October.
    8. Caughey, Devin & Warshaw, Christopher, 2018. "Policy Preferences and Policy Change: Dynamic Responsiveness in the American States, 1936–2014," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 112(2), pages 249-266, May.
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