Exploring the Role of Judicial Support Networks in Judicial Resilience

Many courts operate in politically contested environments and face threats to their independence, authority, and legitimacy. While existing scholarship has extensively examined judicial independence, court–executive relations or court-curbing and started to explore types of judicial resistance more systematically, the role of courts’ allies in their defence remains under-studied and insufficiently systematized. This paper addresses this gap by developing a conceptualization of courts and their allies, focusing on how external actors contribute to judicial resilience in times of political pressure. Building on a systematic review of the literature on judicial politics, the paper conceptualizes allies as strategic actors that support courts by defending them against political attacks, pressing for compliance of their decisions, educating the public about rights, and enhancing institutional legitimacy. It proposes a typology of judicial allies, distinguishing among civil society organizations, opposition parties, media actors, religious groups, and international actors (including international organizations, international courts, international NGOs, transnational advocacy networks, and foreign governments). For each category, the paper identifies key mechanisms of support, such as public mobilization, discursive support, legal advocacy, and political or diplomatic pressure. Empirically, the paper draws on cases from Latin America to illustrate how different types of allies operate across diverse political contexts. These cases demonstrate that alliances vary in form, intensity, and effectiveness, and that their impact depends on factors such as specific institutional configurations or the actual distribution of political power. The paper concludes by outlining avenues for future comparative research. By studying courts as embedded in broader support networks, the paper contributes to a more relational understanding of judicial power and institutional resilience.