Politicization of the American judicial system

The American judiciary can seem like a wild place for us Canadians. We don’t really speak of a liberal or conservative court in Canada, justices aren’t rushed to the SCC just before an election, and we’ve moved on from social issues as the core of our legal contentions. But are these things that can happen in Canada? This week’s show is a two parter as we explore why are American courts becoming so politicized? What’s the problem and is it a problem that can happen in Canada as well?

Today on Pro Bono Radio, we’re speaking with Professor Alyssa King of Queen’s Law and Professor Paul Gardner of the Queen’s Political Studies department. Professor King worked as a Law Clerk for Judge Barrington D. Parker of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis of the Eastern District of New York. Recently, Professor King has been working on keeping track as to how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting procedural changes to courts and alternative dispute resolutions procedures. Professor Gardner was a visiting researcher at the Centre for Law in the Contemporary Workplace at Queen’s Law and he describes his work as “[sitting] at the interaction of a number of sub-disciplines of political science, including American institutions, judicial politics, American political development, law and society, and political behaviour.”

Production:

Andrew Liang– Producer, Host and Editor

Chris Ludwinski – Host

Glen Harrison – Host

Pro Bono Radio is part of the Queen’s chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada. The Pro Bono Radio team are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice.

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